


Straight to Hell

by Scarlet_Sky



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Demons, Demon Byun Baekhyun, Demon Hunters, Demon/Human Relationships, Demons, F/M, Fluff, Mentioned BLACKPINK, Mentioned SuperM Ensemble, Obsession AU, Past Abuse, Romance, Slow Romance, Supernatural - Freeform, Trust, Vampires, Violence, Witches, X-EXO, X-EXO Clone Byun Baekhyun, X-EXO Clones (EXO), XEXO
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:35:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 40
Words: 196,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25204837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Sky/pseuds/Scarlet_Sky
Summary: Baëkhyun x OC || Obsession!AU, Demon!AUWhat should have been a funny evening with her friends ends in disaster when Minji accidentally summons a demon, binding her life to his. Nothing will ever be the same for her as she struggles to come to terms with her mistake. Baëkhyun doesn’t make life easy for her and falling for him certainly was the last thing she expected to happen.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Original Female Character(s), Byun Baekhyun/Reader
Comments: 86
Kudos: 95





	1. Staining my Soul

The Ouija board laid on the floor, illuminated by dim candlelight. Flickering flames painted an ominous glow over the three women sitting around it. “I’m still convinced that this is a bad idea,” Minji mumbled, glancing at her friends Jisoo and Chaeyoung who weren’t the least bit concerned.

They grinned excitedly, not budging from their plan to have a real ghost appear right in Minji’s living room. When they had come over this Friday evening, Minji thought they would watch movies together, but instead, Jisoo had brought a creepy old Ouija board that she wanted to use to summon a ghost. Jisoo was just as superstitious as her grandma who was the owner the board. She believed in ghosts, demons and all that crap which Minji found unsettling.

“You are a chicken, Minji!” Jisoo laughed, nudging her friend. “Come on, this will be fun!”

Reluctantly, Minji put her fingers on the wooden pointer just like the other two. She glanced at their faces, seeing their eyes glow in the eerie candlelight.

“Are there any ghosts here with us?” Chaeyoung asked and waited for a few seconds. Nothing happened, of course not, but that didn’t make Jisoo lose hope. She was persistent and stubborn, had too much patience when it came to her ridiculous belief that ghosts were real.

“Is anybody here?” Minji asked, not expecting anything to happen, but she was in for a surprise. The pointer moved under their fingers, slowly inching towards _Yes_. Wide-eyed, the three women stared at it, unable to believe what was happening.

“What are you doing?” Minji hissed, glaring at Jisoo, but she looked just as flabbergasted as Chaeyoung. They both weren’t very good at hiding their astonishment, staring at the Ouija board with both excitement and trepidation.

“It’s not us,” Jisoo said breathlessly. “I told you, this is legit!”

“Uh… hell no,” Minji whispered, unsure if she should actually believe her. Maybe Chaeyoung and Jisoo were playing a stupid prank on her.

“Let’s ask a question,” Jisoo went on, driven by curiosity. “How old are you?”

The pointer moved to the numbers on the board, spelling _375._

“Let me ask something too!” Chaeyoung yelled, her eyes never leaving the board. “Are you really a ghost?”

The pointer shifted to _Yes_ , pausing there, but Chaeyoung wasn’t convinced yet. “Prove it to us! Tell us something only… only a ghost would know.”

The pointer moved again, dragging over the board with increasing speed, occasionally halting over a letter or a number until it had spelled something that made Minji’s stomach lurch. _Rika 05132018_.

“What does that mean?” Chaeyoung asked in confusion, about to call the others out for messing with her, but she was interrupted by Minji who knew all too well what the numbers and the name meant.

“Rika is the name of my cat,” she said, her voice quivering in fear and sadness. “She died on May 13, 2018…”

 _“What?”_ Chaeyoung hissed, snapping her head around to look at her friend. “Are you serious right now?”

“I remember. You were very sad when it happened…” Jisoo confirmed, smiling sorrowfully. “We really seem to be dealing with a supernatural being here. How else could it have known?”

She had a point and Minji hated admitting it. Until now, she had been able to convince herself that all this was nothing but a silly children’s game. Opening her eyes to the sinister truth behind it was difficult, and it made her nauseous. A part of her still hoped that the others were playing some sort of cruel prank on her…

“I want to ask something else,” Chaeyoung said, filled with morbid fascination and curiosity. “Is the devil real?”

The entity answered with _Yes_ , making Minji’s mouth drop open. “No way! And what about demons?” The pointer stayed on _Yes_ and never moved despite the trembling fingers of all three women.

“See, I told you!” Jisoo yelled triumphantly.

“Can you show us a demon?” Chaeyoung asked, tilting her head, but looking disappointed when the entity answered with _No_. “Aww… here I was hoping…” she started, but trailed off when it spelled something else.

 _Summon_. An ominous sense of foreboding filled Minji and her stomach churned with dread. This sounded like a bad idea.

“How? What do we need to do? Explain it!” Jisoo asked, earning a sharp glare from Minji who didn’t like where this was going.

 _Summoning Circle_. _Blood. Fire_. “Okay, that’s so cliché…” Chaeyoung sighed, rolling her eyes as if she truly regretted this question. “Here I had hope we could actually try it.”

“Wait, wait. We _can_ try it!” Jisoo said, grinning eagerly. “My grandma showed me how to draw a summoning circle a while ago! It’s a bit complicated but I think I still remember how it works.”

“Your grandma is so weird,” Chaeyoung said, rolling her eyes. “If I didn’t know better, I would have guessed she is a witch. No offense, but she comes across as quite peculiar.”

Minji had to agree with that. While the old woman was nice and kind, she had always had a strange aura around herself and the fact that she owned a Ouija board wasn’t exactly normal either. Jisoo just shrugged her shoulders, a wide grin stretching over her lips.

“I’ll prove to you that demons and ghosts are real. We’ll summon one right here and then you’ll believe me.”

“What the fuck? We are not doing this in my living room!” Minji yelled appalled, but her two best friends were very pushy, not leaving her alone until she gave in.

“Come on, it’s not like it’s going to work. Let’s just have some fun with this,” Chaeyoung grinned.

“If it’s not going to work, then why do it in the first place?” Minji grumbled.

“We’re doing this now! The ghost helped us, we can’t let it down,” Jisoo said persistently. “By the way, thank you for your help.”

 _My_ _pleasure_. A chill went down Minji’s spine looking at the pointer that had seemingly moved by itself. She had enough of this madness, forcefully pushing the pointer to _Goodbye_ and ending their stupid game. Her friends glared at her.

“Why did you cut off the connection? Now we can’t communicate with him anymore! Who knows if we will ever get a chance like this again!” Jisoo yelled agitatedly, glaring at Minji who was pretty much done with all this ghost crap at this point. “That’s it! You have to make up for it! We just need a drop of your blood, that’s all!”

“Oh my god, fine!” Minji sighed, hoping to get this over with as soon as possible. Jisoo would notice soon enough that her plan wouldn’t work out anyway.

Minji walked to her desk that stood in the corner of the living room. She got a paper and a pen for Jisoo and handed it to her. The black-haired woman grinned, quickly drawing a summoning circle on it. At this point, Minji wasn’t even surprised that she knew by heart how that worked… her friend was weird as hell. She drew a circle and a pentagram inside, adding various strange symbols to the outside of the circle. When she was done, she held it up proudly.

“Next we need your blood,” she said like it was the most normal thing to ask for. Minji grumbled, cutting her thumb with a knife. It wasn’t a deep wound, but enough for a drop of blood that she smeared over the circle on the paper. “Okay, now the fire… problem is, I have no idea what exactly that ghost meant earlier. I’m assuming we need to put a candle in the middle. If you hadn’t sent him away, we could have asked!” Jisoo said annoyedly, putting the scrap of paper on the ground with the candle on it.

The three friends were staring at it with different expressions. Jisoo was fascinated, Chaeyoung excited and Minji downright nervous. For a whole minute, none of them moved and nothing happened. “Well? Looks like you fucked up,” Minji said, but Jisoo wasn’t done yet.

“I have another idea. I think we should add something to the summoning circle. If we want a demon, we have to specify which one,” she said.

“It’s not working, just give up,” Minji said, getting annoyed at her friend. Chaeyoung on the other hand was still curious, much to Minji’s chagrin.

“What are the options?”

“In one of my grandma’s books, I’ve seen some depictions of crests that belong to specific demons. I don’t really remember many of them, but… let me try this one,” she said, picking the candle up to draw something in the middle of the paper. Minji squinted her eyes, seeing that it was a simple star.

“Why a star?”

“This demon’s element is supposed to be light,” Jisoo said, shrugging. “Let’s try again.”

She put the candle on the paper, everybody watching nervously, but nothing happened. They were shrouded in heavy silence, watching the summoning circle.

“Do you have to say something? A spell?” Minji asked mockingly, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms. This was ridiculous…

“I don’t know… should have asked my grandma about this,” Jisoo mumbled, putting her hand on her chin in thought. “Ah, fuck it. I’m just saying something random. Come here, demon! _Get your ass out of hell, now!!”_

Chaeyoung and Minji exchanged a disbelieving glance, holding in their laughter. Their friend was impossible. “Damn it, this must be a lazy one,” she sighed, shaking her head.

They kept fooling around a while longer until it was past twelve in the night, Chaeyoung and Jisoo deciding it was time to leave. Minji accompanied them to the door, joking and laughing with them about Jisoo’s superstitious behavior. In the end, even she admitted that her idea had been stupid, promising her friends to treat them to some ice cream to make up for the ridiculousness she had put them through.

“See you next week,” Minji said, waving after them and closing the door. Finally, she turned the light back on, her flat looking much homier and less creepy like this. She walked back to the living room, stretching her arms and yawning. Minji liked spending time with her friends even though they could be a little chaotic and crazy. Jisoo’s obsession with witchcraft was kind of disturbing to Minji, not that she believed in it…

Lost in her thoughts, the black-haired woman forgot about the candle that was still burning on the floor. Most of the wax had melted by now, the flame coming dangerously close to the paper beneath, singing it and turning it to ash. It only took a few seconds for the paper to catch fire. Minji scrunched her nose, turning around in alarm to see a small fire burning on her tiled floor. Cursing, she wanted to rush to the kitchen to get some water, but she stopped abruptly when something peculiar happened. The lamp above her head flickered, turning on and off on its own. She moved back, her eyes widening more and more.

A sudden pain in her left wrist had her gasping in agony, her knees giving in. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, she grabbed her wrist, clutching it in a hard grip, but the pain was relentless, feeling like a burning iron was pressed to her skin. She screamed as the fiery sensation moved up her arm, reaching her heart and consuming it. Within seconds, it had overwhelmed her entire body, making it impossible for her to grasp what was happening. Agony was all she felt; her senses failing her. It took a long time until the pain subsided, and when it did, she was drained and exhausted, like something had taken her energy away by force. She opened her eyes and stared at her wrist in disbelief.

A black mark had appeared, forming a star with jagged edges. The strange symbol looked disturbingly similar to the crest she had seen on the summoning circle and that scared the shit out of her. Whatever the heck just happened, it couldn’t be good. Minji didn’t understand what was going on, she could only sit and watch as the lamps flickered again and again. The fire had disappeared by now, leaving nothing but ash behind.

“What in the world is happening to me?” she panted, her heart racing in panic. This wasn’t _normal_. This shouldn’t be possible!

The lamps in the living room brightened, their blinding light forcing Minji to close her eyes. When the light faded soon after, she opened her eyes and was met with a terrible surprise. In the middle of her living room stood a man she had never seen before, glaring at her with a vengeance. He seemed to have appeared out of thin air like a ghost. She shrunk back, mouth falling open in shock, but words failed her. His piercing blue eyes were glowing, pinning her down, hypnotizing her. White hair framed his face, a small braid hanging over his shoulder. A silver chain rested over his nose and cheekbones, glinting and reflecting the light. He had a sharp jawline and sinful lips that formed a sneer as he watched her. His aura radiated raw power, a kind of overwhelming strength she had never felt before, almost as if he wasn’t even human.

“How dare you,” he snarled, taking a threatening step towards her. His voice was husky and trembling with rage. The closer he came, the more Minji’s panic rose. “How dare you summon me, human.”

“S-Summon?” she squeaked, her eyes widening. No, it couldn’t be. This had to be a sick joke. That stupid trick from earlier couldn’t have worked, it wasn’t possible.

“Do not mock me. Do you have any idea who you are speaking to?” he hissed, particles of light forming around his fists.

She got up abruptly, walking back and away from him. Minji wanted to get as much distance between this psycho and herself as possible. “N-No,” she stuttered, causing him to smirk at her apparent fear of him. His eyes were icy as they scrutinized her, and she felt like her time had ran out.

“Ridiculous,” he spat. “I'm Baëkhyun, a demon. You made a mistake when you called me here and you will pay for it.”

Minji nearly stopped breathing hearing his words. She couldn’t believe this. How was it possible that a demon had appeared right in front of her? Until seconds ago, she hadn’t even known they were real, but now her entire view of the world had changed. She had always been an atheist, and she regretted it. Maybe a little faith in god would have saved her from this insanity?

Baëkhyun looked like he wanted to murder her, eyes blazing with fury and malice. His aura was crushing, making it harder and harder to breathe. She moved back further until her back collided with a wall.

“Do you know what happened to the last person that summoned me?” he drawled, smirking evilly at her before he moved his thumb horizontally over his neck. “I killed him, dragging it out to make it as painful as possible. And that’s exactly what is going to happen to you.”

Minji shuddered, her knees weakening. Tears burning in her eyes, she held up her hands to shield herself when he came so close that they were only separated by an armlength.

“Please, just go and leave me alone,” she forced out, her voice shaking. To her astonishment, he stayed silent, staring at her wrist with narrowed eyes. His anger rose even more, eyes glowing brighter.

“What have you done?” he screamed, taking her wrist in an iron grip and pulling it towards him. “How is this possible? I’m not some low-class demon, this should never happen…” He glared at the mark on her skin in disbelief, and she followed his gaze, terrified by what she saw. Now that he had touched her, the mark had changed. It wasn’t just a tattoo anymore. It appeared like a shining star, radiating blinding white light that reflected in her wide brown eyes. Her wrist _glowed_ , but it didn’t hurt, it simply felt warm.

“What is that?” she whispered in horror, his grip on her arm tightening until it was painful. He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You filthy little human, you don’t even know what you did?” Baëkhyun snarled. “You bound yourself to me!”

“H-Huh?”

“I don’t believe this! How can you be this stupid?” he growled, and the room turned darker. “Our lives are connected. In other words, if one of us dies, the other dies as well. If one of us gets hurt, the other will feel the pain.”

“N-No… this can’t be true! You’re j-joking right?”

“I wish I was,” he spat bitterly, reaching a hand out to her to touch her delicate neck, his fingers on her skin making her tremble in fear. He took her chin in an iron grip, forcefully tilting it towards him. If what he said was true, then he had to be aware of how painful it felt, and yet he didn’t stop. A sneer pulled at his lips, curling them. Suddenly, his hands wandered back to her neck, squeezing it. “It would be so easy to kill you. Just a little snap,” he hissed, “and then it would be over. Humans are ridiculously frail.”

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, he finally let go of her, prompting her to take a deep breath. Her desperation grew the longer she was exposed to this madman and his unpredictable behavior. What he had told her seemed to be true… at least she had no other explanation for it. Had Jisoo known what she would get Minji into with her stupid idea? Probably not.

“Why don’t you just go back to where you came from? I don’t know, hell or whatever?” she asked, feeling unnerved around the strange man. Her whole world had been turned upside down within the past ten minutes and she was beginning to feel light-headed from all the stress and panic but passing out was the last thing she wanted in the presence of this psycho.

He clicked his tongue, the blue of his eyes fading to red in response to his rage. “Didn’t you listen to me, stupid human? When you die, I die too. Like I would just risk leaving you alone. You would most likely die in a heartbeat as soon as I would be gone,” he growled, glowering at her.

Gradually, his words sunk in and Minji began to understand what this meant for her. No matter how creepy Baëkhyun was, he wouldn’t be able to do anything to her as long as the bond was intact, which meant that she was safe from him – at least for the moment. She would have to find a way to get rid of him and she already had an idea in mind how it could work out. Tomorrow, the first thing she would do was pay a visit to the local church around the corner. Hopefully, someone would be able to help her with her predicament.

“I’m going to find a way to break the bond. And when I do, you are dead,” he snarled, again getting too close to her for comfort. His face hovered directly in front of hers and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t scared. His aura was overpowering, nearly crushing her and his piercing red eyes were more than uncomfortable to look at. She tried to ignore the chain on his face which, in a really weird way, suited him. “How did you even summon me? You seem like an idiot.”

His relentless insults made her anger surge and she momentarily forgot about her fear. “Take that back! My name is Minji and you better remember it, demon.”

He smirked in malicious joy, amused by her anger. Chuckling darkly, he ran a hand through his white hair. “Like I would bother remembering the name of a human. Let me ask again: How did you summon me?”

Minji hesitated, knowing that she couldn’t possibly throw her friend Jisoo under the bus. He would kill her for sure since there was no bond to stop him and she wanted Jisoo to be safe, so she opted to make up a story that was filled with some truths and some lies. “I used a Ouija board and asked a random ghost,” she explained, knowing exactly how dumb that sounded. “It told me how to do it and I tried it for fun. I didn’t expect it to work.”

“You did it yourself? It’s impossible for a simple human to perform such a complicated binding spell. You must have had help from a witch… unless you aren’t a regular human,” he drawled, studying her closely. She felt herself blushing under his heavy gaze, getting nervous.

Suddenly, his smirk was back, but this time it was smug. Minji’s cheeks turned bright red, when a seductive smile found its way on his lips and he leaned closer, his hot breath ghosting over her lips. Her eyes darted down to his lips, a tinge of desire rushing through her body, her heart beating faster. She was under his spell, mesmerized by his attractiveness.

“I’m going to have fun with you before I kill you,” he said huskily and that was when she remembered who she was talking to.

“You wish! You jerk will leave me alone, or else I’m going to seriously hurt myself and you don’t want that,” she said threateningly, inwardly glad she had some leverage on him, even if she didn’t like hurting herself at all. He didn’t need to know that, though. “I’ll go to sleep now and tomorrow, I’ll get rid of you,” she spat, turning on her heels to walk into her bedroom, slamming the door and locking it.

“That isn’t going to keep me out,” he drawled, making her flinch. She leaned her back against the door and took a deep breath.

_How did her life go straight to hell in a single night?_

* * *

* * *


	2. Down to Hell

The next morning was a disaster. At first, she was convinced she had only dreamt the weird encounter with Baëkhyun, that he was some sort of strange fantasy of herself, but then her eyes fell on the star-shaped mark on her left wrist. She blinked, once, twice, until she finally reacted, jumping out of bed in panic. Since she moved way too fast, she tangled her legs in her blanket and landed on the hard wooden floor face first. The pain came instantaneously, and she cursed herself for being so clumsy.

“Human!” someone roared from outside the door, nearly knocking it down. “What the fuck are you doing in there?”

“Good morning to you too, demon!” she yelled back sarcastically and got up, stretching her arms and rolling her neck. Unlocking her door, she faced Baëkhyun who glared at her with all the hatred he could muster. And that was a lot!

Minji almost flinched since he looked just as scary as last night and the fact that he was real was still hard to fathom. If demons existed, did other mythical creatures exist as well? What about elves and unicorns? Or vampires? She considered asking him about it, but immediately ruled it out when she saw him glower at her with a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.

“I’ll make breakfast,” she mumbled when his stare became too much for her. Walking around him, she trudged to the kitchen where she made tea. He followed her, leaning against the door with folded arms. She noted he wore the same black leather suit that he had already worn when he had randomly appeared in her living room.

“I would have offered you something too but knowing that you demons only eat… uh… blood and guts, you’ll have to take care of that yourself.”

“Not that I would ever try your disgusting food, human.”

“I have a name, you jackass.”

“You dare insult me?” he growled, suddenly standing much closer to her than before. She felt his chest against her back, trapping her at the counter. “I might not be able to hurt you physically, but there are other forms of torture.”

She shuddered fearfully, forgetting about the boiling water in front of her. Burning pain shot up her hand when she accidentally touched the kettle, her skin turning an angry red instantly.

“Ahh, damn it,” Baëkhyun snarled, holding his aching hand. “You are useless! I cannot believe how a living being can be so stupid! How are you still alive?” He grabbed her wrist, pulling her over to the sink to pour cold water over her burn, hoping to alleviate his own pain. It didn’t help much.

“That’s it, I’m tying you up. You are not going anywhere,” he decided, but Minji refused to let herself be treated like that.

“If you tie me up, I’ll bite my tongue until you’ll regret it,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. He snapped his head in her direction abruptly, the rage in his blue eyes overflowing. Red seeped in his iris. He looked more and more like the powerful demon he was and she knew that she had chosen the wrong person to mess with.

“Oh really?” he growled. “I’ll knock you out, then.”

“Wouldn’t you knock yourself out, too?”

“That’s not how it works!” he snapped at her, the light in the room dimming. “Hell, this is terrible. I need to find a way to murder you before I lose my mind!” Blinding white light flooded the room, originating from his body and forcing her to shield her eyes with her arm. It subsided soon and when she opened her eyes again, she stood alone in her kitchen.

“Is he gone?” she breathed, her body slumping in relief. She leaned against the counter since her knees felt like they were about to give out. Minji had tried her hardest not to let her fright show in front of him and now that he was gone, she felt the fear hit her with full force. She collapsed, kneeling on the kitchen floor, hugging her knees with her arms. She was shaking uncontrollably, torn apart by everything that she had witnessed in the past 12 hours. This was too much for a normal human to take; she had been forced to open her eyes to a world that she had never believed to be real. _Demons existed_ , and one of them was chained to her, trying his hardest to find a way to kill her. She didn’t doubt he would succeed. It had been ridiculously easy to form the bond, how hard could it possibly be to break it? He would be back soon to kill her and she had to do something about it.

Taken by determination, she got up and ran into her bathroom, getting ready to leave the house. She couldn’t be here when that psycho returned. Not bothering to apply make-up, she changed her clothes and briefly brushed her black hair, picking up her purse and rushing out the door in a hurry, her hair flying after her. She sprinted down the street with a clear destination in mind.

She knew that the mass in the church nearby must have ended a few minutes ago, meaning the priest was most likely still there. This was her chance! Running even faster in desperation, she didn’t stop until she had reached the large wooden doors of the church. Entering quickly, she passed many empty rows of seats, gazing up at the altar where she spotted an old man wearing the clothes of a priest.

“Excuse me,” she said, gaining his attention. He walked up to her and smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling.

“What can I do for you? I’m afraid the mass is already over,” he said apologetically, his friendly tone fueling Minji’s hope that he would help her.

“I know, and I’m sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you could help me with something. I have a… uh… _problem_ ,” she began, seeing him tilt his head patiently, urging her to go on. She lifted her sleeve and showed him the mark of the demon. Right now, it looked like a regular black tattoo, not shining as long as Baëkhyun wasn’t in the vicinity. “You see, I accidentally…”

The priest moved back, his eyes wide and focused on her wrist. He looked truly shocked and scared to the core before disgust took over his features, chasing away the kindness in his eyes. “You… you have committed the worst sin there is,” he breathed, appalled. The sudden change in demeanor unsettled Minji. “Not only did you form a contract with a demon, you chose one of the most dangerous creatures in hell for such an outrageous act. Leave this church now!”

She flinched back when he glared at her with unexpected loathing, clutching the cross he wore around his neck so hard that his knuckles turned white. “B-But why? Please help me! You can’t just send me away!” she pleaded.

“Someone like you cannot be helped,” he said agitatedly, pointing at the door. “Leave now! You are tainting this holy place with your sin. Leave before _he_ comes here!”

Tears burned in Minji’s eyes as she walked backwards, not believing how he could just send her away when she was in dire need of help. Her chest hurt, desperation clouding her mind as she turned around and fled from the church, the tiny flame of hope within her heart snuffed out. Now she felt truly alone, her life was as good as over because of a stupid accident.

“Why me? Why did this happen?” she cried, rubbing her eyes furiously, but the tears kept coming.

There was only one more thing she could do now, it was the only solution she could think of if she wasn’t welcome in the church. She could ask Jisoo’s grandmother for help. Maybe she was aware of the supernatural world and maybe she could do something.

* * *

Ringing the doorbell of Kim Eunsook, Jisoo’s grandma, Minji was jittering in panic, dreading the outcome of this visit. Soon, the door of the tiny house opened and Eunsook appeared, her hair a little grayer than Minji remembered. The corners of her eyes crinkled when she saw the young woman, welcoming her with open arms. “Minji! It’s been a while since I’ve last seen you. You have grown up,” she smiled. “Why don’t you come in? I’m sure we have a lot to talk about.” There was a knowing glint in her eyes that surprised Minji, leading her to think that the older woman somehow had a hunch that something was up.

She sat down at the kitchen table opposite Eunsook who readied a cup of tea for her before she took a seat as well. Folding her hands on the table, she studied Minji curiously. “Why are you here? Your aura seems troubled.”

Unsettled by the strange comment, Minji forced herself to concentrate and told her the whole story, starting with the Ouija board and ending with the appearance of the demon. Eunsook’s eyes turned darker the more she heard until a frown decorated her aged face.

“My own granddaughter dragged you into this,” she said, pursing her lips. “I should have never shown her how to draw a summoning circle, but I was hoping she would become a good witch one day. However, this proved that I can’t teach her anymore.”

At this point, Minji wasn’t surprised to hear that she really had been a witch all along. After Baëkhyun’s appearance, she doubted anything could still shock her.

“Will you show me the mark?” Eunsook asked gently, prompting Minji to pull her sleeve back to uncover the cursed star on her wrist. Eunsook frowned seeing it, worry flickering through her eyes. Minji gritted her teeth, not liking this reaction at all. “This is… bad. Of all demons, why did Jisoo pick Baëkhyun? Silly girl.”

“Y-You know him?” Minji managed to say, leaning forward, eager to find out more about him.

“Yes, I do,” Eunsook said regretfully. “He despises humans, you will have to be careful around him.”

“B-But how do you know him?”

“I am human, just like you, but I’m also a witch,” she revealed with a sad smile on her lips. “I once knew a witch that formed a bond with a demon. It happened many years ago, when I was your age. Her name was Jungeun and she fell in love with a demon called Lůhan. He wasn’t a cruel being despite having his origins in the pits of hell. He truly cared for Jungeun and did all he could to make her happy. Ultimately, he agreed to form a bond between them, binding his life to hers to prolong her life. They wanted to spend eternity together, but it wasn’t meant to be. Only weeks after they created the bond, another demon heard of it, killing Jungeun in cold blood to get Lůhan out of the way. They both died together, connected until the very end. It was tragic.” Eunsook sighed, casting her eyes down.

Minji found it hard to believe that a demon was able to love, but the sadness and the regret in Eunsook’s eyes were real. She spoke the truth. “When Lůhan was still alive, he told Jungeun and me about other equally powerful demons, and that’s how I heard of Baëkhyun. He is known to be ruthless towards humans; and Lůhan often told me that he mocked him for his relationship to a human.”

“The irony…” Minji mumbled, massaging her aching temples. This whole thing kept getting worse, the more she heard about it.

“This is why you need to be aware of certain things, Minji. I can tell that you want to break the bond, but I have never heard of a way to do it. I’m so sorry I can’t do anything for you,” Eunksook sighed bitterly, unable to look Minji in the eyes. “I can only pass on what I know from Lůhan and Jungeun. Sooner or later, you will become a target, not only for demons, but also for demon hunters that want to get rid of Baëkhyun. You will have to be very careful from now on and I suggest you don’t stray too far from him. I know that you don’t like him and I understand why, but right now, he’s the only one willing to keep you alive, even if it is for his own sake.”

“This is terrible,” Minji said, a sob threatening to leave her as she fought desperately to keep her composure. “I don’t want to end up dead because of some demon! I… I just want to live a normal life.”

“Minji… please don’t cry,” Eunsook pleaded, her eyes tired and sad, filled with deep regret. She did not want to witness a repeat of last time. That was the last thing she wished for. “I know it’s not much of a consolation, but that demon will make sure that you don’t die. You will need to work together with him, okay?”

“That’s easy for you to say. He keeps insulting me and never stops reminding me that he will kill me as soon as possible,” she said in a quiet whisper, voice strained from the fear she felt. “There has to be a way to break the bond, Eunsook! And if you don’t know about it, then maybe someone else does.”

“Listen to me,” the old woman said and the look in her eyes changed from one second to the next, turning steely. “You must never tell anyone about your bond, do you understand? If the wrong person hears of it, you will be in grave danger. Keep it secret, no matter what.”

Minji hid her face behind her hands, inhaling and exhaling to calm herself down but it didn’t work. She was distraught, desperate and so many other things all at once. A heavy storm raged in her heart and she could barely sit still.

“There is something else you need to know. Since you are sharing your life with a supernatural being, there will be certain side effects that you will experience from now on. I don’t know what exactly will happen to you, but his power might affect you somehow,” she explained seriously. “The bond will strengthen over time and when it does, you will not only feel each other’s physical pain, but also emotional pain.”

“Great,” Minji spat, curling her hands to fists. “This is getting better and better,” she mumbled bitterly, a dark emotion flickering through her eyes.

“I’m so sorry I can’t help you more, Minji,” Eunsook said again. “If you have any questions, you can always come here. My door is open for you.”

“Thank you, Eunsook.”

* * *

Walking aimlessly through the streets of Seoul, Minji stared ahead apathetically, her empty eyes not focusing on anything or anyone as she moved. The day had come to an end and the streets were not as crowded anymore. Most of the people in the vicinity appeared a little shady, but Minji could care less. She felt entirely numb, like she had already died. Her desperation had grown so much that it had just swallowed up any hope she had and now she was ready to give up. How should she survive this predicament? How should she ever find happiness? She had always wanted to live a normal life, start a family and settle down somewhere in a beautiful house at the edge of the city, maybe even on the country, but all that had gone down the drain in a single day. That demon creep would likely murder anyone close to her, just to make sure she was miserable. He had made it very clear that he would make her pay and she didn’t doubt that he would go through with it. Minji could never let him get near her friends or family, for the sake of their lives. She would have to keep her distance for now, as hard as it was.

Minji dreaded going home, knowing that he would likely wait for her already and if he found a way to break the bond, then he would murder her right away. She glanced at the star on her wrist, her lips curling into a sneer. A demon with light powers, what nonsense! It was a contradiction. How could a demon be associated with something as pure as light? It was ridiculous and had she not seen his power with her own eyes, she would not have believed it.

“Fuck you, Baëkhyun,” she hissed, receiving a dirty look from a passerby which she didn’t even notice. “I’m going to make this as difficult for you as you make it for me.”

Glaring at the mark on her wrist, she was taken by a sudden urge to get rid of it, to eradicate it from her skin. The disgusting mark was the root of all her misfortune – she despised it and the last she wanted was to have his crest on her body. Angry tears burned in her brown eyes when she clawed at it, her fingernails leaving bloody streaks on her wrist as she let her frustration out, attempting to get rid of the mark despite knowing it would never work like this.

She screamed in fury, a mix of desperation and rage rising within her, pushing her into a deep hole. Sinking deeper, she mindlessly ripped at her skin that was red with blood, but the mark remained, a mocking sight to her eyes. It hurt like hell; and knowing that he felt it too gave her a certain satisfaction. The bastard should suffer just as much as her. Scowling, she finally let go of her wrist, the wound stinging as it disappeared under her long sleeve. She stopped and looked up at the starry sky and the anger within her faded, anguish taking its place.

“I don’t want this,” she muttered, clutching her purse with trembling fingers. She stood glued to the spot until someone rudely jostled her, waking her from her apathetic state. Frowning to herself, she walked on slowly, trying to avoid the inevitable for as long as possible. When she rounded a street corner, she got closer to her home, but she didn’t want to enter her flat just yet.

“Look who we have here,” someone suddenly whispered into her ear, her back going rigid in fright. An arm slung around her waist, fingers ensnaring her wrist in a harsh grip. “You stupid human think you can do whatever you want with your body,” Baëkhyun’s voice snarled, his breath grazing her ear. The sleeve had slipped down to reveal her bloody wrist which he eyed with disdain. “Your body is mine now. You can’t damage it.” His voice was low and husky, its sound making her shudder, while his proximity was more than unsettling. He gave her arm a tight squeeze before he finally let go and stepped back, allowing her to breathe.

“Leave me alone, demon,” she said emotionlessly and just walked on towards her home, not sparing him a glance. He caught up without any effort.

“You have brought this upon yourself, now don’t act like it’s my fault, because it isn’t.” He grinned smugly, putting his hands into his pockets. The ends of the silver chain dangled down from his ears, reflecting the light of the moon. His eyes were glowing weirdly in the darkness, betraying that he wasn’t human. Minji had to tear her eyes away from the sight, concentrating on the asphalt below her sneakers as she walked.

“I take it you haven’t found a way to break the bond,” she said coldly, seeing the nearby streetlamp darken ominously.

“No. Otherwise I would have snapped your neck already,” he said sinisterly and with horrifying honesty. “Why did you leave the house?”

“I was trying to find a way to get rid of you,” Minji answered.

“And?” he drawled, smirking maliciously.

“The priest chased me away, calling me a sinner… I didn’t get very far, sadly.”

“As much as I hate religious people, he was right. You are a sinner.”

“Then what does that make _you_?” she grumbled, folding her arms.

“I’m the sin,” he muttered, grinning devilishly. Minji felt her heart stutter when her eyes fell on his lips, and she quickly redirected her attention somewhere else.

“Don’t mock me!” she snapped at him, but her voice failed her, breaking a little which served to fuel his amusement.

“I’m doing whatever I want.”

She was seething at this point, but she bit her lip and kept her thoughts to herself, knowing that a conversation with him was wasted time. Entering the house where she lived, she walked up the stairs and unlocked her door, throwing her purse on the ground without a care. Baëkhyun followed her like a shadow, stalking her into the kitchen. That was when he stopped her, stepping in her way. Again, his hands wound around her left arm, the sleeve slipping down.

“Take care of this, human,” he hissed sharply. “And if you hurt yourself on purpose again, you will pay.” His eyes flashed, iris bleeding red. Minji winced, fearing his retaliation as she thought of her friends.

That night, she locked herself in her bedroom again, not caring about the demon. He could sleep on the floor for all she cared, though she doubted he even needed sleep.

* * *

“Wake up! Wake up, you lazy idiot,” a rough voice said, coated in anger and impatience.

“Leave me alone, demon,” she answered before she came to her senses, realizing who she was speaking to. She felt like she hadn’t slept at all, seeing the sun rise outside. “What time is it?”

“It’s 6 am,” he grumbled. “You slept for four hours. How long do you plan on laying around? Get the fuck up!”

“Goddammit! It’s Sunday morning! And four hours are far from enough! Heck, twice as long isn’t even enough!” she sighed, rolling on her back and staring at the ceiling. “How did you get in here?”

“Through the door,” was his snarky answer which caused her to look at the half-broken door that loosely hung in its hinges. She groaned, hiding her face below her pillow.

“How do you expect me to pay the landlord for that? Doors are expensive.”

“Not where I come from,” he retorted, smirking cockily. “Get up, you lazy shit.”

“I will die soon if you don’t stop this,” she complained, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

“Not on my watch. You’ll die when I kill you, not any sooner.”

Minji didn’t grace him with an answer and entered her bathroom to take a shower, leaving the freaky demon behind. She knew that he was eager to get rid of her, and hearing his hateful remarks struck a chord within her. It was difficult to deal with this, to the point where she was ready to break down. Standing under the flowing water of the shower, she allowed herself to shed a few tears, knowing that he wouldn’t see it. She hated this inconsiderate, selfish creature with all her heart, but she also hated herself because part of this had been her fault. She should have never let Jisoo go through with her stupid plan; but Minji hadn’t expected it to work, she hadn’t known that demons were real.

She dried her hair and brushed it, letting it fall in soft waves over her shoulders. She glanced at the mirror, her eyes drawn to the star on her wrist. It was glowing faintly, radiating soft light, no doubt reacting to his presence. Minji had already wondered about how she would be able to hide the strange phenomenon. Maybe she could put on a wide bracelet, or wrap fabric around it, or even better, hide it underneath a band-aid. She couldn’t got outside when it was like this, it would be too obvious and if someone saw her skin radiating light, she didn’t want to imagine what would happen…

Putting on a new set of clothes, she ran a hand through her hair and left the bathroom, heading to the kitchen to make some coffee. This wasn’t how she had imagined her Sunday morning to go. Usually, she would sleep in until noon and slowly get to work on lunch… or maybe even skip it, but now she was awake when it wasn’t even 7 am yet! Ridiculous!

She glared at Baëkhyun who was leaning against the counter, watching as she made coffee for herself. “Where did you go yesterday?” she asked when the silence became too heavy to bear.

He was silent for a moment, staring at the ceiling. “I went to hell and asked around if anyone knew how to break bonds,” he said, making Minji’s eyes go wide. She dropped her teaspoon that clattered in the sink.

“What?! Are you stupid?” she yelled agitatedly, snapping her head around to glare at him.

“Don’t insult me, human,” he said in a dangerously low tone, his eyes darkening as he glowered at her. Particles of light formed around his body, manifesting out of nowhere and radiating an eerie glow.

“Don’t you get it? If you go around telling everybody about this, it’s only a matter of time until someone comes by to kill me!” she screamed, losing her cool.

“I didn’t tell everyone! I’m not as dumb as you!” he snapped, his icy tone making her go rigid.

“Do you want to end up the same as Lůhan?” she screeched, her eyes betraying her desperation. She clutched the sink, feeling her knees weaken.

His eyes narrowed at her and for a brief moment, she saw pain flash over his face. “Where did you hear that name? Who told you?” he screamed, cornering her at the kitchen table. Its edge dug into her hip as she leaned backwards, attempting to get distance between herself and the enraged demon. Minji knew she couldn’t tell him about Eunsook. That would be a fatal mistake.

“What do you care?” she whispered, eyes widening in fear when he gripped her chin tightly.

“I care because he was my friend, despite his silly infatuation with a human,” he hissed. “It was what ended up killing him. I warned him a thousand times, but he never listened and look where it got him! When demons die, they turn to ash. We just stop existing, there is no reincarnation, no afterlife. We’re gone forever, while the humans we bonded with rot in hell for eternity.”

Seeing her eyes fill with tears brought a sneer to his lips. “That will be your fate too. As soon as I’m rid of the bond, I’m going to drag you down to hell myself, straight to purgatory.”


	3. A Wolf among the Sheep

Minji stood at the Han River, listening to the sound of the water as it lapped softly against the stone. She had closed her eyes, focusing only on the noises around her, the car engines, the people talking and the birds chirping. She had wished to be alone after her argument with Baëkhyun and left the flat, glad that he didn’t follow her. That demon was truly evil down to the core. There was no good in him. Cursing her fate, she opened her eyes to the bright blue sky over Seoul. She wanted her old life back, the one where she hadn’t been stuck with a demon.

Hearing the ringing of her smartphone for what felt like the one hundredths time, she finally found the strength to pick up, holding it to her ear. “Hello?” she mumbled, hearing Chaeyoung’s bubbly voice from the other end.

“Hi Minji, how are you?” she chirped, obviously in a good mood.

“Well, could be better. What’s up?” she answered less enthusiastically.

“Listen, I know that Jisoo was a bit over the top last Friday and I was scared you were mad at us when you didn’t reply to our texts all Saturday,” she said apologetically. “I have a little surprise for you, want to meet later?”

“I’m not mad at you, I just had a lot to think about,” Minji sighed. “What kind of surprise are we dealing with?”

“I might have planned a double date for us,” she giggled, but stopped when she didn’t receive an answer. “Come on, Minji! I can tell that you have something on your mind and even if you don’t want to share it with me, I could at least distract you a bit. Please join me?”

“Fine, I’ll go. You’re lucky I’m already outside anyways,” she said, casting her eyes towards the sky. “When and where?”

“We wanted to meet in two hours at my favorite restaurant. You know where it is,” she said, ending the call.

Minji sighed deeply, putting her phone back in her purse. Maybe this wasn’t so bad. She desperately needed the distraction… and since Baëkhyun wasn’t around to thwart her plans, she could allow herself some fun. As long as he didn’t see her with her friends, it would be alright. Minji had no clue where he was right now and she honestly could care less.

Passing the time until three o’clock was easy, she just lingered at the Han River, and later made her way to the restaurant, arriving just in time. Chaeyoung was waiting outside, chatting with two men and one of them was seemingly Minji’s date. As she approached, they noticed her and she was greeted by friendly smiles. Such a difference to someone else’s mean sneers…

Minji wore a smile on her lips, greeting everyone and introducing herself briefly.

“This is my boyfriend Hongbin, and that is Jaehyun,” Chaeyoung said, and Minji’s eyes moved to her date in curiosity. He was tall, had dark brown hair and a handsome looking face. She was honestly surprised that someone like him was still single, but she didn’t dwell on the thought for long, his charming smile capturing her attention.

“Nice to meet you, Minji,” he said, putting an arm around her back as the two of them walked inside, trailing after Chaeyoung and Hongbin. She was surprised by his forwardness, but didn’t mind his touch, smiling at him.

“Likewise,” she replied. “Are you Hongbin’s friend?”

“Yes, but I’ve only known him for a few weeks. My new job required me to move to Seoul,” Jaehyun explained.

“I see, so you’re still new to town.”

“Yes. It gets confusing at times. Seoul is huge,” he chuckled endearingly.

“I could show you around, if you want to?” she suggested shyly, her smile brightening when he nodded.

They took their seats at a table close to the windows of the restaurant. It was next to the Han River, allowing a beautiful view over the waters and the nearby green areas. They soon ordered their food and while they waited for it to arrive, they chatted animatedly about all kinds of things and Minji found herself having fun. She enjoyed the time with the three others, and she couldn’t help but notice how different they were from a certain demon… he was like a thunder cloud compared to their sunshine. Minji took a nip of her drink, occasionally glancing outside while she ate. The food was great as always; it was the main reason why Chaeyoung liked coming here so often.

“May I ask how old you are?” Jaehyun said, turning to Minji with a curious glint in his eyes.

“Oh, I’m 24,” she said, seeing his smile widen.

“Really? You actually look younger than that. Could have fooled me,” he laughed, prompting her to giggle. “What line of work are you in?”

“Want to guess?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow challengingly.

“Uh… I don’t know… maybe an artist? A photographer?”

“Not quite,” she replied, seeing him tilt his head in thought. He stayed silent for a while, but he didn’t come up with an answer, so she decided to tell him. “I’m a journalist for a newspaper,” she explained and his eyes glimmered with interest.

“Wow, that sounds amazing.”

She smiled, finding his excitement kind of cute. He already seemed to like her despite only having met her a few hours ago and she could say that the feeling was mutual. It had been a while since she last met a man she had felt drawn to from the start. A spark had been ignited in her heart, waiting to grow into a flame.

“You two act like we aren’t even here,” Hongbin suddenly piped in, laughing amusedly while Chaeyoung grinned at Minji.

“You’re so focused on each other, it’s cute,” she said, causing Minji to blush.

“Well…”

“It’s because I find her very interesting and sweet,” Jaehyun replied, making Minji blush even harder.

The rest of dinner went well, with all four of them having fun and joking about each other from time to time. Minji completely forgot about her impending doom, even if it was just for a few hours. She was able to laugh carefreely, and whenever she shared a glance with Jaehyun, her heart would beat faster.

After dinner, when they left the restaurant, Minji was quite tired because a certain demon asshole hadn’t even let her sleep for four hours before rudely waking her up. She would need a good night’s rest to make up for it, or else she would be a zombie tomorrow morning at work. Hongbin and Chaeyoung left to go home, but Jaehyun opted to keep her company for a while longer which she didn’t mind. They walked over a path close to the river, the sun sinking lower on the sky.

“Minji, I know this might be a bit sudden, but… I really enjoyed spending time with you and I would love to meet you again. Do you want to exchange phone numbers?” he asked hopefully, and she nodded without thinking.

“Sure!” She gave him her number and he sent her a quick text so she had his as well. Smiling, she put the phone away and walked next to him. Soon, he reached for her hand, taking it in a gentle hold all the while glancing at her. The scene was quite romantic with the glimmering city lights reflecting in the water of the river. Minji liked the view and ended up spending another hour with Jaehyun before she decided that it was time to go home.

“I can accompany you,” he said, but she declined, knowing that it could mean his death if he got anywhere near her flat…

“No, don’t worry about it. Maybe next time,” she said evasively, and he soon gave up trying to talk her into it.

“I hope to see you again soon,” he replied, his eyes mirroring the beautiful lights of the city. Minji was mesmerized by them and couldn’t take her gaze away anymore. Her heart beat faster when he leaned towards her until their faces were only centimeters apart. When their lips touched, Minji fell into a trance, her senses focusing only on the man in front of her. The kiss left her breathless and she felt disappointed when it ended too soon.

Reluctantly, she forced herself to say goodbye to him and left to go home.

When she walked through the door and closed it behind her, she leaned against it, about to collapse. She was so tired, and it was all this stupid demon’s fault! She never dealt well with sleep deprivation, it never failed to bring her to her knees.

Hearing someone approach, she lifted her head and watched Baëkhyun walk up to her, hands in his pockets. His white braid rested on his shoulders as usual and he still wore that weird silver chain. He studied her, eyes moving from her legs up to her face. His brow creased and a cautious look appeared in his eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?” he grumbled.

She laughed mirthlessly. “Don’t ask! If you hadn’t woken me so early, I would be filled with energy right now,” she hissed.

He tilted his head and glanced at her like he was trying to read her thoughts. “Strange,” he mumbled, gazing at the shadows under her eyes.

“Stupid demon,” she growled as she walked past him, entering her bedroom to go straight to bed.

* * *

In the next morning, she felt much better, mostly because she managed to sleep for ten hours which was more than normal. This time, Baëkhyun didn’t wake her up – a fact that she found rather surprising. He hadn’t cared yesterday, why did he care now?

Shrugging to herself, she decided not to think too much about the demon’s weird behavior and trudged to the bathroom to take a shower. When she was done, she put her long black hair up in a ponytail, left the bathroom and walked in the kitchen. Unable to hold in a yawn, she hid her mouth behind her hand, spotting Baëkhyun standing in the room, and he had a surprise in store for her. He didn’t wear his usual clothes, but a much more casual looking outfit that was no different than what humans would wear. A simple pair of jeans and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The chain on his face was gone. He crossed his arms and watched her like a hawk while she made breakfast. Minji tried to ignore his heavy stare, but it was hard since his blue eyes never failed to unnerve her.

“I’ll accompany you today,” he said with a finality that made clear he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“What do you mean? You can’t just tag along, that’ll just keep me away from work,” Minji said, inwardly fearing for the lives of all the humans they would come across.

“Am I that much of a distraction to you?” he smirked seductively, biting his lower lip in a way that made Minji blush.

“No! Don’t get too full of yourself, demon,” she grumbled, finishing her breakfast so she could leave. At the very last possible moment, she remembered that she had to cover up the mark that was shining brightly. She took a band-aid and put it on top of it, hiding it from view. A faint light around the edges was still visible, but for now it would have to do. She didn’t want to be late.

They took the car, Minji being more than just a little annoyed that he was so keen on stalking her all day. She could have lived without him. In more than one way.

“Seriously, what is it with you? I don’t need you around me,” she complained, rolling her eyes.

“I don’t need you either, but if you die, I’m fucked,” he groaned, leaning his head against the window as the car rolled through traffic. Her workplace was located in a large building in the city center. She shared the office with other journalists and editors who worked for the same newspaper, but she didn’t see them too often because she was usually busy writing her news articles and doing interviews.

She shot Baëkhyun a glare before they entered the building. “You better behave, demon. Don’t make a scene!” she hissed, but he grinned devilishly.

“I don’t know, if I’m bored I might. You’ll need to work hard to entertain me, little human,” he drawled.

Grumbling something under her breath, she entered the lift with him, pressing a button. The doors closed and it moved up, but suddenly the lights went out and they were shrouded in utter darkness. Minji almost had a heart attack, the thought of being stuck in a lift scaring the shit out of her. However, she soon noticed that the lift was still moving and knew who was responsible for the unexpected darkness.

“Fuck you,” she whispered, hearing Baëkhyun chuckle lowly in response to her annoyance. The lamps in the lift began flickering like a strobe light. It irked her and judging by the smirk on his lips he knew. When the lift finally reached the tenth floor and the doors opened, he thankfully stopped his magic tricks.

They headed down a hallway surrounded by big glass panes that allowed them to see the other journalists in their cubicles, typing away on their computers. Minji walked straight on, not really looking at them. She knocked at the door of the chief editor’s office at the end of the hallway. As soon as she heard a voice telling her to enter, she opened the door and Baëkhyun followed her, much to her chagrin.

“Good morning, Yixing,” she smiled, waving at him. “I brought a… uh… _friend_. I hope you don’t mind.”

Yixing was sitting at his desk and looked up from his computer when they entered and closed the door behind them. His eyes fell on Minji first, but then they moved to Baëkhyun and widened considerably.

“Baëkhyun?” he said flabbergasted, causing Minji’s mouth to fall open in shock.

“W-What?! Y-You know each other?” she stuttered, glancing at Baekhyun who smirked at Yixing, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“What a surprise to meet you, Läy. How many years has it been? 50?”

Minji choked on air, staring at him with wide eyes. _Läy_? What? Was Yixing a demon too? That gentle and kind man who she had worked with for years?

“Could be, yes,” Yixing answered. “What brings you here? I always thought you preferred hell over earth. And how do you know each other?”

Not being one for long explanations, Baëkhyun took Minji’s left wrist and ripped the band-aid off to expose the shining star on it. She grimaced, trying to pull back, but he didn’t let go until Yixing got a good look at it. Now he was even more astounded than before.

“I thought you didn’t like humans? That you would agree to a bond is surprising.”

“That’s because I didn’t agree,” he growled, glaring at Minji. “This stupid human managed to do it by accident. Can you believe that? The stupidity behind her actions is mind-boggling!”

Yixing was unphased by his anger and he also ignored the flickering lamps in the room like he was already used to the other demon’s bad temper. He put his hand on his chin and watched Minji in thought, a worried crease appearing on his brow. “Are you okay, Minji? This must be a lot to deal with.”

“I guess. I’ve been trying to find a way to undo it, but so far it was fruitless,” she mumbled, shrugging her shoulders. “How do you two know each other?” She was reluctant and didn’t really want to hear the answer.

“We’ve known each other for centuries. I’m a demon too, but other than Baëkhyun here, I don’t mind being around humans. It’s much more entertaining than staying in hell,” he explained.

“How many demons are there, hiding in plain sight?” she whispered fearfully, looking at the floor.

“More than you would expect,” Yixing said. “And don’t forget about other supernatural creatures. Demons aren’t the only ones after all.”

_“What?!”_

“Damn, he really didn’t tell you anything,” Yixing grumbled, glaring at Baëkhyun, his eyes flashing neon green for a second. “There are other creatures around, such as ghosts, vampires, witches, nymphs, you name it. They hide themselves from humans, so it’s not surprising you were unaware, Minji.”

“I think I need to sit down,” she mumbled, moving over to the chair in front of the desk, hiding her face behind her hands. “Why is this happening to me?” she groaned, close to a breakdown.

“You know what, Minji? How about you take the rest of the day off? You should rest, you’re looking quite overwhelmed,” Yixing suggested, a worried look darkening his green eyes. “Maybe it’s best if you stay home the entire week, until you’re better accustomed to all this.”

“Is that really okay?” she asked, and when he nodded, she sighed. “Thanks, Yixing. You’re a lifesaver!”

“Whatever you did to her, stop it! You can see that she’s stressed out,” he then added and shot Baëkhyun a sharp look.

“Shut up, Läy,” Baëkhyun spat bitterly.

“If something happens to her, I’m going to make you pay.” Yixing’s voice sound threatening, not at all soft like Minji was used to.

“You don’t need to tell me that,” Baëkhyun snarled aggressively, losing his temper once more. “Get up, human, we’re leaving.”

“I have a name!”

“Not like I would ever use it,” he countered, impatiently pulling her after him when she got up. She managed to call a “See you!” over her shoulder to Yixing before Baëkhyun forcefully pulled her to the lift.

* * *

Back home, she went to her bedroom, getting lost in one of her novels, and didn’t reemerge until six o’clock. She didn’t hear anything from Baëkhyun, and found him sprawled on the sofa in the living room, watching tv. His white hair was messy and stuck up in all directions, like he had ran his hand through it a hundred times. He seemed agitated, not that it was an unexpected sight, but she wondered what went through his head since he clearly didn’t pay attention to the tv and was lost in thoughts.

When she closed her bedroom door behind her, he looked up, his eyes falling on her, scrutinizing her. He stretched his arms and sat up. “Are you feeling better, human?”

“Yes, demon,” she retorted sarcastically, moving past him to the kitchen. She sat at the table and scrolled through the texts on her smartphone in boredom. Seeing one from Jaehyun, a smile appeared on her face and she immediately answered him.

_[Jaehyun]: Do you want to meet later today? I’d like to invite you to go to the movies :)_

_[Minji]: Great idea! When do you have time?_

_[Jaehyun]: Want to meet at 8 pm? I’ll send you the address._

_[Minji]: Thanks! See you later <3 _

_[Jaehyun]: Can’t wait to meet you, sweetheart <3_

She blushed, happiness flowing through her at the thought of him. Putting her smartphone aside, she walked to the bedroom, getting ready for her spontaneous date. She chose a cute light pink blouse and white jeans, pairing it with silver earrings and a necklace. Then she put on some make-up, happy with what she saw in the mirror. The only thing she would have to accomplish now was leave the flat without Baëkhyun noticing. An aggressive demon was the last person she needed to stalk her on her date.

Leaving the bedroom, she saw that Baëkhyun kept his back to her as he sat on the sofa, the tv still on. She tiptoed into the kitchen, disappearing from sight. From there, it was rather easy to reach the door and even easier to slip outside. Hastily running down the stairs, she almost tripped, and caught herself at the last second. If she hurt herself by accident, the jerk would know something was up.

Outside, she walked to the nearby subway stop, leaving her home behind. At this point, he would have a hard time following her and so she slowed down, taking the next train. She arrived at the cinema just in time, seeing Jaehyun who waved at her.

“Hi Jae,” she smiled.

“Hello Minji,” he grinned. “Do you want to go inside? The movie is starting soon.”

They bought tickets and popcorn and sat down in the cinema hall. During the movie, they got closer and closer, until they ended up kissing. Minji was happy to be with him, feeling comfortable and right at home in his arms. Whenever she looked in his eyes, she would forget everything around her. It was like stepping into another world and she soon got addicted to the feeling, wanting more of it. When the movie had ended and the lights went back on, they still clung to each other, Jaehyun kissing the corner of her lips. He smirked amusedly when she pouted at him, wanting more than just a peck.

After they left the cinema, they lingered on the square in front of it. “Do you want to go eat something?” he asked.

“I’m not hungry anymore after all the popcorn I ate,” she grinned, prompting him to laugh.

“Well, that’s understandable,” he replied. He smiled and took her hand, the sleeve of her shirt slipping up a little. His eyes fell on the black star on her wrist, studying it with interest. “Oh, you have a tattoo! May I see?”

Minji was a bit puzzled until she got what he meant. She turned her wrist, giving him a better view of the star. “Wow, that looks good. Can you recommend the tattoo artist?” he asked curiously, and now she had reached a point where she didn’t know what to say.

“Not really, the prices are… uh… very high,” she said, quickly covering it up.

“Ah, that’s a shame. I wanted to get one too,” he sighed, but his smile stayed. “It’s not that late yet… do you want to come over to my place?” he asked with a certain glint in his eyes that betrayed his intentions. Minji wasn’t sure what to answer since she like him, but didn’t want to rush things. This had only been their second date, and she didn’t know him too well.

“I’m sorry, Jae. Maybe next time,” she said, seeing his smile fall.

“Are you sure?” he tried again, taking her hand. Abruptly, a stinging pain flashed through her wrist, making her wince. She broke eye contact and clutched her wrist, gritting her teeth. What was that? And more importantly, had Baëkhyun felt it too?

“Sorry, I will go home now, Jae,” Minji said, smiling apologetically and he finally accepted it, sighing dejectedly.

“Alright, then I hope to see you soon, sweetheart,” he smiled, leaning in for one last kiss.

“See you,” she said, and turned around to walk back to the nearby subway stop.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait for long for the train to arrive and sat down in a corner. She leaned her head against the window, closing her eyes for a moment. Where had that strong ache come from just now? She hadn’t experienced this before. Was this another side effect of that damn bond? If so, then she desperately needed to get rid of it, at all cost. She couldn’t live on like this!

* * *

When Minji entered her flat, she was already awaited by Baëkhyun who was in a very bad mood. “What were you thinking, sneaking off without telling me? You’re endangering my life!”

She sighed. This guy really couldn’t give her a break. He was always nagging over the most normal things! She wanted to walk past him and ignore him, but he was persistent. “Answer me!” he hissed, the anger within him rising fast. Minji glanced at him, seeing that he looked stressed out, his hair was messed up and even the chain on his face was askew. Why was he so angry? Had something happened that she wasn’t aware of?

“I met someone,” she said quietly, not ready for another argument with him.

“That was a really smart idea, human,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Who was it?”

“Uh… just a guy I got to know a few days ago,” she answered reluctantly, seeing his iris turn red, the color overtaking the natural blue of his eyes.

“What did he do?” he snarled.

“N-Nothing! We just watched a movie, that’s all. What’s your problem all of a sudden?” she yelled agitatedly, not understanding why he got so worked up over it. “And you better tell me why that damn mark was hurting so badly! What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.” His bloodred eyes darkened and he clenched his hands to fists. “It was a _warning_. You were in grave danger and that’s why it burned. It seems like you were unaware of what you were getting yourself into! This guy you met, whoever the hell he is, don’t ever see him again!”

At the thought of not meeting Jae again, she got even angrier and scowled at the demon. He had no right to decide who she spent time with – she would see Jaehyun as often as she wanted and he couldn’t do shit about it! Not like she had to tell him where she went or anything.

“I’m keeping a closer eye on you from now on, human,” he decided. “I’m planning to live on for at least another century.”


	4. Forget about Him

When Minji woke up the next morning, her eyes were drawn to a strange creature that was sitting on her bed, scaring the shit out of her. It was translucent, seemed to be made of light and had a similar shape than a cat. Its glowing eyes focused on her and her fear rose instantly. She screamed, moving back until she hit the wall. The creature flinched, but it didn’t go away.

Seconds after, Baëkhyun ripped open the door and glared at her, expecting her to be close to dying or something, but his shoulders relaxed when he saw the scene. Walking in her bedroom, he smirked at her apparent fear, his eyes gleaming with malicious joy. “G-Get that thing away from me!” she screeched.

“No,” he retorted cockily, enjoying her torment.

“Why not? Can’t you for once do something useful?” she whined, not taking her eyes off the weird creature. It kept moving closer to her, perking its ears up.

“Don’t be ridiculous, it won’t hurt you,” he said, rolling his eyes. And he was right, the strange cat sat down next to her and put a paw on her thigh without harming her. It reminded her of a ghost.

“What is that?” she asked curiously.

“It’s a lower-class demon,” he explained. “All demons pertain to a certain element and this one belongs to mine. I’m guessing it’s attracted to you because it sensed the bond. Usually, demons like this one would hurt humans,” he added with an evil smirk, and Minji cringed.

“Why did it appear suddenly?” she asked.

“Oh, it didn’t appear suddenly. It has been lingering in this flat for days, following you around,” he laughed, and her eyes darkened.

_“What?!”_ she yelled, glaring at him. “Why didn’t you say something? And why didn’t I see it sooner?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t care. And as for why you didn’t see it… the longer you’re around me, the more your body will grow accustomed to the supernatural. It seems you are able to see demons of my kin now, and soon you will be able to see other creatures too,” he said and raised his chin arrogantly. “Only high-class demons can make themselves visible to humans, ghosts and lower-class demons are invisible to regular people.”

“What if I don’t want to see them?”

“Should have thought about that before you bound yourself to me,” he growled, his anger at her rising again. He left the room abruptly and Minji stared after him for a while.

That was a lot to take in. Seeing ghost and demons wasn’t something she wanted to experience, she was content with living in obliviousness. _Ignorance was bliss._ She doubted all demons were as friendly as her stalker cat.

Speaking of which, it had snuggled up against her leg, purring quietly. She observed the creature with wide eyes, seeing tiny particles of light floating within its translucent body. Reluctantly, she reached her hand out and touched it with her fingertips, feeling soft fur. Even though it was translucent, she couldn’t reach through it because the body was solid. It was fascinating and a little disturbing, but since the demon clearly didn’t mean any harm to her, she didn’t shy away from touching it once more. She was a bit angry at Baëkhyun for never mentioning it following her around, but then again, she would have freaked out or thought he was messing with her. Minji was wondering which kind of other side effects she would experience and feared that some of them might even be dangerous.

She nudged the cat a little, gentle pushing it off her because she wanted to get up. Minji walked to the bathroom to take a shower and got dressed in a comfy shirt and sweatpants afterwards. She walked to the kitchen, the small demon trailing after her. It observed her curiously while she made breakfast. When Baëkhyun entered a while later, he watched the scene with raised eyebrows.

“If only you were as nice as this cat,” was Minji’s snarky comment to him which instantly was rewarded by a scowl.

“Don’t compare me to such a lowly demon,” he snapped, pissed at her, but Minji didn’t care much. She had grown used to his mood swings.

“It’s much nicer than you, though.”

“Disrespectful human,” he snarled.

She swallowed her pride and smiled reluctantly. “Look, I’m sorry. Maybe we should make an effort to get along better. What do you say, Baëkhyun?”

His silence prompted her to glance at him and she realized that he looked downright shocked, his eyes wide as he stared at her. When he finally got over his surprise, he narrowed his eyes at her. “You are behaving strangely, human.”

“Can you not complain over everything I do?” she said annoyedly. “Jae wouldn’t act like this,” she mumbled lowly, but he still heard it and scowled.

“Is that the name of your new boyfriend?” he asked with a sourly tone in his voice and stood right in front of her. Surprised by his proximity, she barely felt the slight tingling of her mark, and didn’t see its light flare. “I bet I could easily make you forget about him,” he added smugly, his gaze darkening with an emotion that Minji couldn’t describe.

Her gaze moved from his bright blue eyes down to the chain on his cheekbones, lower until they came to rest on his lips. His hand found its way to her chin, holding it in place. As he leaned closer, she felt his breath grazing her soft lips, making her shudder in anticipation. She was hypnotized, his proximity and the unnatural power he radiated overwhelming her, and yet she didn’t back away.

He had her take a shaky breath and held her face with both hands, cupping her cheeks as he kissed her. Minji closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, feeling his lips move against hers. The kiss was demanding and rough, not that she had expected anything less of him. He tasted like cinnamon and ash; an intoxicating mix that clouded her mind. This felt different than it did with Jaehyun. More passionate. She didn’t know if it was good or bad that she felt this way, but she was sure of one thing: no matter how amazing this demon kissed, he was still a spawn of hell and she would rather die than give herself to him. With that thought, she finally found the resolve to push him back, hitting his chest with her hands.

“Stop it!” she said when he let go of her and looked at her.

“Why? You know you love it,” he said. The devilish smirk on his sinful lips made her resolve crumble to dust. She felt desire taking over and fought it down, knowing that it was his intention to get under her skin. He was just a filthy demon. Manipulating others, fabricating sweet lies and false promises was what he did best. She couldn’t trust this selfish bastard.

“I don’t,” she retorted. “Jaehyun is the better kisser.”

He scoffed, looking deeply offended. “How _dare_ you!”

“Just leave me be.”

“You’re forgetting something important here,” he drawled confidently, his fingers trailing over her collarbones, coming to rest over her heart, feeling its nervous thumps. ”Your life is mine. I will never leave you be.”

She couldn’t hold his gaze any longer and glanced down at the floor instead. She wanted to be rid of him; he was a curse, the worst she could have possibly come in contact with. When she glanced up at him again, the anguish in her eyes caused him to fall silent.

“My life belongs to me and no one else!”

She turned around and fled to her bedroom, closing the door behind her. This self-centered asshole was the last person she wanted to be stuck with. Why couldn’t he have been someone kind like Yixing, someone charming like Jaehyun? He was so much better than Baëkhyun! Sitting down on her bed, her back slumped. She let herself fall on the mattress and stared at the ceiling. Minji wanted her old life back, the one where she had no clue about the existence of supernatural beings. She wanted to be oblivious and live in ignorance.

Caught up in her thoughts, she never noticed the translucent cat sneaking up on the bed, glancing up at her. The demon jumped on the mattress, making a strange sound similar to a meow, but more distorted. It snuggled against her, laying next to her body. Minji rubbed her teary eyes and looked at the creature that was surprisingly harmless for a demon. She turned on her side and embraced it. It purred, not minding her touch at all. She had to admit that she had a soft spot for the little demon since it reminded her of her pet that had died years ago. Part of her still missed her cat Rika, and that part longed for the company of an animal at her side.

“You’re not mean like that dumb demon,” she whispered, the cat’s ears moving as it listened.

Minji ended up moping around on her bed for the next few hours, not finding the strength or the motivation to get up and face Baëkhyun again. She was uncomfortable around him, knowing how easily he had wrapped her around his finger earlier. She basically hadn’t fought him at all, even returned the kiss, and she was disgusted by her own body for being turned on by it. Groaning, she ruffled her hair and rolled her eyes.

“Damn it, this guy is unbelievable. I should have taken Jaehyun up on his offer and gone home with him,” she mumbled, seeing the demon cat wake up when she moved on the bed. It yawned, showing a row of disturbingly sharp teeth and gazed at her, tilting its head. “You know, I should give you a name. I can’t just call you cat. That’s what Yixing would do…” she muttered, smirking a bit at the latter thought. “I’ll need some time to think of a suitable name, though.”

Reaching for her smartphone, she unlocked it to see several texts from her friends Jisoo and Chaeyoung. She skimmed over them and replied, telling them she would meet with them soon; whenever she would get away from Baëkhyun without him stalking her… That was a problem, it couldn’t go on like that forever. She needed her privacy sometimes.

Lastly, she saw a text from Jaehyun, a smile blossoming on her face as she read it. He wanted to meet her again today – that was exactly the kind of distraction she needed now. Answering him, she sent lots of smileys and hearts to him, grinning like a lovesick schoolgirl when he replied immediately. Minji got up from bed, her steps filled with purpose as she walked to her wardrobe.

Half an hour later, she said goodbye to her little demonic friend and tiptoed to the door, not seeing Baëkhyun anywhere. She sneaked outside, thinking she had outsmarted him, but she never noticed the pair blue eyes that followed her every move. If she hadn’t covered up the mark, maybe she would have seen it shining faintly when she walked down the street.

* * *

Minji hummed a happy tune, her mood brightening the farther she got away from the flat and consequently, her annoying housemate. The idiot could rot in hell for all she cared, she wanted nothing to do with him. In her opinion, he should show some more understanding towards her, maybe try to help her instead of throwing stones in her way, but she knew that he only cared about her health because of himself. What an asshole.

Forgetting about him, her thoughts were filled with Jaehyun and his smile. She looked forward to meeting him, even though she had only seen him yesterday. Developing a crush on him hadn’t been planned, but now that it had happened, she was elated about it. It had been a long time since she had last felt this way towards someone. When she had started work as a journalist, she hadn’t taken the time to meet new people. But now, she realized that it was nice to be around someone who treated her with kindness.

Her last relationship had ended in a disaster, and the sole thought of it made her heart clench. It had been a very messy break-up after Dongmin had betrayed her trust – and she had been reluctant to get close to men she didn’t know afterwards. He had been violent with her, often hitting her for absolutely no reason, and for a long time she had been scared to break up with him, fearing he would kill her in one of his rages. It was her friends Jisoo and Chaeyoung that had helped her to get away from him, urging her to go to the police to get a restraining order. They had accompanied her and supported her until it had been done, and Minji had never seen Dongmin since then. She didn’t know where he lived now, if he was still in Seoul or not, and she hoped she would never cross paths with him again. Frowning bitterly, she shoved those memories away. She hurried to the subway stop, taking the next train to the city center.

Minji absentmindedly watched the people sitting close by, her eyes not lingering on them for long. Time passed quickly and when she reached her stop, she left the train with countless other people. She felt like someone was watching her, but when she turned around, nobody was paying attention to her. “Strange,” she thought, moving up the stairs to a big square. Night had fallen at this point, but the city was crowded nonetheless.

She entered a quieter street where she was supposed to meet with Jaehyun. The shops she passed were already closed and the area was deserted compared to the square behind her. She spotted Jaehyun leaning against a building wall, looking up from his phone when he heard her approach.

“Minji!” he smiled, hugging her. She grinned, melting in his embrace and getting lost in his eyes. There was the same faint burning feeling on her wrist like yesterday, but she ignored it.

“I missed you, Jae,” she said, and he hugged her back with one warm while they moved down the street. She didn’t know where they would go, he had told her it was a surprise and since she didn’t know the area well, she couldn’t even guess. “I had a shitty day and was really happy when you texted,” she explained, seeing him glance at her with raised eyebrows.

“Looks like we had the same thought! My day wasn’t that great either, but now that you are here…” he smirked, his hand on her waist pulling her closer to his side.

“Where are we going?”

“I won’t tell you, sweetheart. It’s a surprise,” he grinned. It was a bit weird to accompany him like this in the middle of the night, when she didn’t know where they were going. The only reason she trusted him was the fact that he was a friend of Chaeyoung’s boyfriend… had he been a complete stranger, she would have turned tail already.

The burning on her wrist intensified and prompted her to think of a certain demon. He was probably lazing around on the sofa and hadn’t even noticed her leaving… then again, since he could feel the burning, it was more probable that he was throwing a fit right at this moment.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw that the street was empty, nobody was around in this area since people stuck to the popular shopping streets. Something in her mind told her that this was not good. Maybe she should turn around and leave Jaehyun. Nobody knew where she was and if something happened to her, who could help her? Her conflicted gaze came to rest on Jaehyun. The burning of the mark was unsettling her since it steadily worsened, and she found herself questioning her decision to come here. She should have listened to Baëkhyun, but it was a little too late for second thoughts.

They suddenly turned into a darker and narrower alleyway, and that was when Minji became cautious. She did not want to be here any longer. She wanted to go back home. When he had invited her on a date, she hadn’t expected him to lead her in some random shady alley; this wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t _normal_.

“Jaehyun?” she asked. He scrutinized her for a moment before a grin appeared on his lips.

“What is it, sweetheart?”

“I want to go back,” she said and immediately took a step back, intending to get the hell out of there.

His eyes narrowed and he was quick to corner her against the wall of a building. Her back hit solid stone, and she glanced at him in disbelief. “That’s a little too soon,” he replied. His hand found her wrist, encasing it in his hold and pressing it to the wall. Her other hand was captured as well, and she was motionless, staring in his darkening eyes.

The burning on her wrist became even stronger, reminding her of Baëkhyun’s ominous words. This served as a warning, telling her that she was in grave danger. Struggling against his hold, tears welled up in her eyes. She was petrified when she saw the kindness in Jaehyun’s gaze fade. Suddenly, it was filled with hatred and she knew that it had been a terrible mistake to come here.

“Jaehyun? What’s going on?”

“You’re bonded to a demon, Minji,” he hissed and glared at her condescendingly. “At first, I wasn’t sure, but when I saw your mark, I knew that I had to take action. If I get rid of you, I’ll kill two birds with one stone. It’s usually a pain in the ass to fight a demon head-on.”

“Are you… a demon hunter?” she whispered and went pale. Minji remembered Eunsook’s warning about them well. Demon hunters were humans that had dedicated themselves to kill every demon they came across, using various disturbing tools and in some cases even magic.

“Took you long enough to figure it out. I despise people that sell their souls to demons; they are disgusting filth. You should be ashamed,” he growled, tightening his grip on her wrists.

Minji could hardly fathom that the seemingly nice man had turned out to be a danger to her life. Had he only feigned his interest in her to get closer to her? Or was this a coincidence and he hadn’t known about the bond at first? When she looked into his eyes now, there was no kindness left. It felt like being plunged into ice cold water, being forced to wake up from a dream. She had to face the cruel reality and she couldn’t take it. This was too similar to what had happened with Dongmin, and it reawakened unwanted memories. She was taken back to a time that had long since passed, saw Dongmin hovering over her, pressing her hands to the cold stone floor. Panicking, she began to struggle, raw terror making her stomach churn and her knees weak. She pushed against Jaehyun’s hold with all the force she could muster, getting him to budge a little.

He was furious and let one of her wrists go to slap her hard. It burned like fire, and her lower lip split open. The metallic taste of blood on her tongue was nauseating and it reminded her that she had to keep fighting him. Otherwise, he would kill her.

The ache in her wrist was blazing now, but then it suddenly stopped. A blinding white light flashed in front of her eyes, striking Jaehyun with full force. He was ripped away from her so abruptly, she had to lean against the wall to keep her balance. “I should have known,” she heard Baëkhyun’s enraged voice snarl. She had no idea where he came from and how he even found her, but for the very first time, she was glad to see him. His white hair stood out in the dark, the silver chain shining ominously in the dim light of the streetlamps. “You chose the wrong human to mess with,” he said lowly, coming closer to Jaehyun’s fallen body.

Jaehyun quickly got up, his eyes flashing in rage. He reached for a small dagger with strange symbols on it. Minji had trouble making it out from afar, but it seemed to be a weapon that could be used to kill supernatural beings. “You must be the demon,” he growled defensively, not backing down just yet.

“What does it matter? You are going to die anyway. I can’t have a _human_ challenging me, you need to learn your place,” Baëkhyun said in an almost bored tone before the ferocity in his voice came back without warning. “Do you really think this ridiculous little blade is enough to stop me?”

There was a tinge of fear in Jaehyun’s eyes as he stared at Baëkhyun. Minji couldn’t really bring herself to feel sorry for him since he wouldn’t have hesitated to kill her had the demon not interfered. Didn’t Jaehyun realize that his actions weren’t any better than those of the demons he despised?

Baëkhyun followed his words up with actions and an incredibly blinding light appeared in the alley. Minji closed her eyes, heard a terrifying scream that belonged to Jaehyun. Her pulse raced in trepidation and horror and she pressed her hands over her ears until it was over and the area was completely silent. Only then did she dare to open her eyes. Jaehyun was gone, there was no trace of him to be seen.

Baëkhyun approached her and she tensed up, but the hand that touched her cheek was gentle despite the fact that its owner was a demon. “Why am I babysitting a human?” he mumbled and sighed. She met his gaze reluctantly, shame flickering through her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, knowing full well this could have been avoided had she listened to him. She felt uneasy in her own skin, haunted by memories she would have rather forgotten. Baëkhyun didn’t say anything at first and studied her silently. His eyes weren’t all blue, some red had seeped in his iris, making it look demonic.

“What did you do to him?” she asked quietly.

“I sent him to hell,” he said without batting an eye, like it was the most normal thing to do. Unsure what to think of this, Minji simply looked at him. Judging by the way he said it, he did this kind of thing quite often… 

“And how did you find me?”

“You’re asking an awful amount of questions tonight,” he grumbled annoyedly. His eyes flitted to her lip, seeing the blood on it. “Let me take care of this.”

He leaned closer, capturing her gaze. She didn’t know what he meant, and in her confused state she simply stayed where she was and watched him. His unnaturally white hair had a strange glow to it that stood out in the dark. She wondered if the braid on his shoulder felt as soft as it looked, but she didn’t dare touch it. Like every other time she had seen him, he wore that peculiar silver chain which stretched horizontally over his face. Its ends dangled down and with every movement, they glinted in the light of the streetlamps. She was intrigued by him and in this brief moment, she forgot her fear. After the shock she just went through, all she wanted was someone to comfort her, and if that someone was actually a demon, well… right now she didn’t care.

Tentatively, he touched her cheek that was red from the earlier assault. His fingertips brushed over her skin, leaving a tingling feeling behind. Blue eyes flickered to her bleeding lower lip and something in them changed. Minji didn’t know what it was, couldn’t describe it. He leaned even closer, keeping eye contact and when she didn’t move away, he bridged the gap between them. The touch of his lips felt different than this afternoon. It was hesitant. He was mindful of her injury, his tongue sweeping over the cut, cleaning the blood. Minji tasted iron mixed with cinnamon as he deepened the kiss. Her fingers clutched the fabric of his black hoodie and she unconsciously pulled him closer which prompted him to smirk smugly. He left her breathless when he leaned his forehead against hers after planting another feathery kiss on the injury on her lower lip.

“Is he still the better kisser?” he asked with a cocky tone in his voice. She flushed, her reaction being enough of an answer, and he smirked triumphantly.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT JUST HAPPENED? o_o  
> It's only chapter four and they've already kissed twice. Hahaha, that must have been unexpected.  
> I usually don't write kiss scenes this early, but I made an exception for this fanfic because I wanted to spice things up a little. ;D I mean, we're talking about demon Baek here. His way to deal with things is a little different. lol
> 
> Have a nice day, guys! <3  
> Sky


	5. What Sorrow Feels Like

Minji sat on her bed, absentmindedly stroking the fur of her demonic cat. It always wanted to be close to her when she was home and kept trailing after her wherever she went. Especially when it had the opportunity to snuggle up to her on the bed, it was quick to follow her. Minji had decided to call the demon Mochi since it was unexpectedly cute for a creature from hell. Usually, she would smile when the cat joined her, but right now, she had too much on her mind. A day had passed since the disaster with Jaehyun had happened, since she had discovered his true identity. She felt pathetic, being deceived by a demon hunter of all people. Minji had been sure that he had been genuinely interested in her because of herself, but she had been sorely disappointed.

She was unlucky when it came to relationships with men since they always ended badly. Her last boyfriend Dongmin was the best example. What Jaehyun had done to her had brought all the memories back that she had locked away deep within her mind. It hurt to have her trust broken for the second time. The pain in her heart was overwhelming, and the tears kept coming relentlessly. She had rolled herself to a ball on her bed, hugging her knees with her arm. It felt like she was ripped apart from the inside, the anguish growing steadily. Focused on her self-pity, she didn’t even notice Mochi meowing at her, the sound falling on deaf ears. Sighing deeply, she rubbed her red eyes, sitting up and glancing at the blanket draped over her legs. Her stomach felt empty, but she didn’t have an appetite, preferring to just sit here, to stare at the wall. There was no strength left in her to get up. She was sick of everything. Her heart felt like it was pierced by needles, the ache intensifying and dulling in turns.

Minutes later, the door to her bedroom opened and Baëkhyun walked in. He moved to the bed and gazed at her with a strange expression on his face. If she hadn’t known better, she would have guessed he was worried, but a demon didn’t know what worry was.

“Are you still sitting here? Come on, get up,” he said harshly, but she didn’t budge. Raising his eyebrows, he was about to yell at her, but changed his mind and stayed silent instead, opting to study her. She was pale and hadn’t acted like herself since yesterday. He didn’t like her behavior and would rather want to deal with her stupid rambling than with this apathy. “Do you have a heart disease?” he asked out of the blue, narrowing his eyes at her.

“No,” she answered curtly, not understanding why he would ask that.

“Don’t lie to me,” he hissed annoyedly.

“I’m not lying.”

“Then why the fuck does my heart hurt so much? This hasn’t happened before and I hate this feeling,” he growled, touching his chest with a conflicted look in his eyes.

Minji laughed mirthlessly as she understood what was going on with him. “Looks like the bond is getting stronger. What you are feeling right now is emotional pain.”

He didn’t move and just stared at her for a long time, his scrutinizing eyes attempting to understand what was going through her head. It unnerved her. The corners of his lips turned down, forming a frown and his forehead creased.

“I don’t blame you, a demon wouldn’t understand,” she said coldly, hitting a nerve. His eyes flashed red.

“Don’t belittle me! I know what sorrow feels like,” he hissed bitterly, tiny particles of light forming around him, controlled by his rage. “I have lost one of my closest friends because of a human like you!”

“Then you also should know that sorrow doesn’t disappear from one second to the next,” Minji replied emotionlessly, staring right through him. He sighed, leaving the room and letting her drown in her own despair.

* * *

Hours later, he entered her room again, this time looking ready to lose his nerves. He was paler than normal, and his eyes were rimmed with shadows. “Stop it, human,” he grumbled.

“It doesn’t work like that,” Minji mumbled, still sitting on her bed. She hadn’t moved an inch this whole time.

“Then how does it work?”

Minji didn’t answer, just stared down at the blanket, hugging herself with her arms. She felt like falling apart and the pain grew.

“Damn it, stop!” he growled, clutching his chest, clawing at his black shirt. He sat on the bed, the mattress shifting when he did. Mochi quickly hid itself, jumping off the bed and scurrying away from the stronger demon. He moved closer to Minji who sat frozen like a statue. Trying to get her attention, he put his hand on her cold cheek, moving her head towards him until she gazed right into his eyes. “Did you care about that bastard so much that you’re torturing yourself over him? He isn’t worth it at all,” Baëkhyun said.

“You’re right. In the grand scheme, he is the lesser evil,” she muttered, trying to ignore his proximity and the warm tingling of her mark. It was glowing, just like it always did when he was around.

“What do you mean?” he asked, his thumb moving over her cheek, catching a tear.

She only hesitated for a second before she spoke, her gaze darkening. “There is someone else out there that is worse than Jaehyun. He’s done things I can’t forgive.”

“Tell me his name and I’ll drag him to hell myself,” he snapped, his tone harsh. “That will make you feel better.”

“Murder doesn’t solve everything, Baëkhyun.”

Her words made him go quiet and his hold on her chin slackened. Something flickered through his eyes, but he was quick to hide it and a scowl appeared on his face. When he let go of her and moved off the bed, he stayed silent. He didn’t say a single thing when he walked out the room and down the hallway. She heard the front door open and close. The mark on her wrist stopped glowing and she felt strangely empty.

Maybe she should have been more careful when talking to him, maybe she shouldn’t have said certain things, but she wasn’t in her right mind, and dealing with a short-tempered demon wasn’t something she could take at the moment. Part of her wondered where he went since he usually wasn’t keen on leaving her alone, while another part of her could care less. She got up and walked to the bathroom to take a long hot shower, using all the time in the world, staying under the water until the skin of her fingers began wrinkling.

After she had dried her hair and put on a comfortable hoodie and sweatpants, she trudged back to the bedroom. When she passed the kitchen, she noticed that Baëkhyun was back, rummaging through a cupboard, but she didn’t linger to see what he was doing.

She stayed in her room for another thirty minutes, until the door suddenly opened and the demon walked in again. He really didn’t get the message that she wanted to be left alone.

“Get up,” he commanded, not surprised when she didn’t react. Fed up with her attitude, he strode to the bed, took her wrist and pulled her closer to him with a gentle but firm grip. Before she knew what he had planned, he had thrown her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing.

“What?! Let me down, you jerk!” she complained, hitting his back with her fists, but not doing much damage. He walked in the kitchen and only then did he put her down, right on a chair. Glaring at him, she waited for an explanation or maybe an apology, but the latter was out of the question for him.

What he did next, however, astonished her so much that her mouth fell open. He put a plate with her favorite dish, kimchi fried rice, in front of her on the table. “Eat,” was all he said before he leaned against the kitchen counter, watching her like a hawk. Puzzled, she stared at the food and back at him, not understanding what had compelled him to make her something to eat. She didn’t even know he could cook! Hadn’t he mentioned he despised the food that humans ate? And how did he know that this was her favorite?

His glower darkened the longer she just sat in her chair, so she began to eat before he lost his temper again. When she tried the dish, she was shocked because it actually tasted good, even though _he_ made it.

“How did you make this?” she asked when her curiosity became too much to ignore.

“Everyone can follow simple instructions,” he said, rolling his eyes at her.

“It’s good. Thank you,” she replied, a tiny smile appearing on her face. He never answered, but his calm gaze and the slight tilt of his lips told her that he appreciated her praise. “How did you know that this is my favorite?” she asked a while later, when she had finished eating, her stomach not feeling empty anymore.

“I asked Läy,” he said tersely and without looking at her, as if he didn’t want to admit it. Minji’s eyes widened, finally knowing where he had been earlier. That had been the very last thing she expected of him. She was flabbergasted, completely caught off guard because what he did for her was actually a very kind act, one that surprised her to no end. Her mood lifted a little, the hollow look in her eyes disappearing. A spark returned to them, lighting them up, and the pain in her heart eased.

A while later, Minji got comfortable on the sofa in the living room, grabbing a blanket that she spread over her legs. She leaned her head against the backrest, looking at the ceiling for a long time, but when she felt a heavy gaze on her, she turned her head to glance at Baëkhyun who was standing at the door, unmoving. He tilted his head and studied her, noting that some color had returned to her face. There was still a slightly worried expression in her eyes, revealing that she had a lot on her mind.

“May I ask you something?” she said quietly and hesitantly, prompting him to walk closer and sit down next to her.

“Yes,” he answered, putting his arm over the backrest of the sofa and turning his body in her direction.

“What if we never find a way to break this bond? What if it will stay?”

His gaze darkened considerably, and he took her wrist in his hand, turning it over so the glowing star was visible. Running his thumb over it, the light brightened for a moment. Minji had always found this phenomenon strange and she wondered why it happened.

“It can’t,” he growled. “I won’t go down like this. Even if I have to search the deepest pits of hell, I will find a way to get rid of it.”

Minji agreed with that, but a part of her feared what he would do to her when the bond wasn’t there anymore to protect her. She would have to find a solution before he did, but she didn’t have a clue where to start looking. He let go of her wrist, putting his hand on his thigh instead, glaring at a wall.

“What about the demon that killed Lůhan? Who was it?”

His head snapped around, eyes focusing on her and taking her breath away with their intensity. “I don’t know who it was, but I have a suspicion. If it really was him, well… he should pray that we never meet,” he said lowly.

“He might come after us, too,” she said, shuddering. “What if he targets people who have a bond?”

“It’s possible.”

That wasn’t very helpful and didn’t easy her fears at all. She glanced at him, realizing that he was close enough that she could see the faint white speckles in his blue iris. They looked like glowing particles of light, but they would vanish whenever the color of his eyes changed to bloodred, swallowed by the darker shade. His gaze wasn’t focused on her, but at a point somewhere behind her. She could tell that he was agitated, his fingers drumming on his thigh.

“What will happen when he finds us?” she whispered, more to herself than to him. His eyes moved to her, taking in her slumped posture and the hopelessness it conveyed.

“Someone will die,” he answered coldly. “But not us.” He raised his chin arrogantly, a smirk appearing on his sinful lips that never failed to distract her. Even now, her eyes were drawn to them, and she remembered how he kissed her. Inwardly slapping herself, she forced herself to concentrate, tearing her eyes away from the sight.

“You seem sure of yourself.”

“I’m one of the strongest demons you will ever meet,” he drawled haughtily, the smirk widening. “Of course I won’t be defeated easily.”

She rolled her eyes at his attitude but couldn’t stop herself from smiling just a little bit. Somewhere behind him, she spotted Mochi scurrying through the living room, looking in her direction curiously. The smile on her face brightened when the small demon came closer, jumping on the sofa and sitting on her lap. She ran her hand through its fur contently. The only good thing about this whole bond crap was the cute new pet she had gained.

“How weird,” Baëkhyun commented, watching her stroke its back. “Why are you suddenly so close to this lowly creature?”

“Mochi is not a lowly creature, you arrogant ass,” she countered defensively, hugging the cat. “Physical strength isn’t everything, you know?”

He stared at her, noting how the pain in his chest had vanished completely. “It makes you happy,” he commented, hiding his thoughts behind an indifferent expression, but the disbelief in his eyes gave her a little bit of insight.

* * *

The next morning, Minji was sprawled over the sofa, having fallen asleep while watching tv last night. It was turned off now and the room was dark. What had woken her was the muffled ringing of her phone. She groaned, rubbing her eyes and pulling it out of her pocket. Seeing that it was Eunsook, she picked up immediately, hoping for some good news regarding the breaking of the bond.

“Hello,” she rasped, clearing her throat. She sounded very sleepy, and Eunsook chuckled hearing her voice.

“Good morning, Minji,” she said amusedly. “How are you?”

“Could be better, but it could also be worse. So far, I haven’t died yet,” she explained, running a hand through her tangled hair. She let herself fall back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling. “The bond is getting stronger and it worries me. I’m already able to see light demons and it would be an understatement to say that I am scared. Baëkhyun has started to… feel my emotional pain which means that I can’t even hide my feelings from him anymore.”

The desperation was back in an instant, clawing at her heart. She put her arm over her eyes, hiding the tears burning in them. Eunsook was silent for a moment, and when she answered, her voice sounded gentle. “Does he treat you badly?” she asked carefully.

“At least he doesn’t threaten to kill me anymore every five minutes, and yesterday he made dinner for me… which came as a huge surprise,” Minji answered, her lips twitching when she imagined the grumpy demon standing in front of a stove. “His presence sometimes still unnerves me, but I know that he can’t hurt me even if he wanted to. He wouldn’t do himself a favor if he did.”

“That’s a relief. I was a bit worried when you never called this whole week,” Eunsook said. “I have tried my best to find a way to help you, but so far I haven’t gotten anywhere. No spell book describes how to undo a bond. I’m afraid you might have to learn to live with it.”

Her words felt like a punch to the gut. Minji clenched her hand to a fist, her body going rigid. “That means I can say goodbye to the life I wanted to live,” she said hollowly. “I will never be able to start a family with a demon around…”

“Don’t lose hope yet, Minji. We will make it work somehow,” Eunsook replied optimistically. “I also have good news for you, by the way. I managed to find a witch that is sharing a bond with a demon and told her about your situation. If you’re interested, I could arrange a meeting between you, so she could explain some things to you.”

Minji took a deep breath, her eyes opening wide. “What, really? That would be great! I have so many questions and I would love to get some answers.”

“There’s just one condition she has. The demon will accompany her,” Eunsook added, dimming Minji’s enthusiasm a bit.

“That’s okay, I guess,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “When does she have time?”

“Would later today be okay?”

“Yes! Just tell me the time and place and I’ll be there. Thank you so much, Eunsook,” Minji smiled, ending the call with hope in her heart. Maybe this would bear fruit and maybe she would learn something important. She threw her phone on the sofa and got up, her thoughts running wild as she pondered over the witch she would soon meet, wondering why she had chained herself to a demon willingly. What kind of demon was she bonded to?

Minji was too focused on her thoughts to notice that she was walking towards the low coffee table, and promptly fell over it, hitting her shins against the table edge. Tumbling down with a cry, she cursed and laid on the floor for a moment, gritting her teeth.

“Human!” she heard Baëkhyun scream from the kitchen, his voice angry and distorted in pain. “What the fuck did you do this time?” He appeared in the living room and strode over to her, glaring at her with a murderous look. “How can a living being be this clumsy and fragile?”

“S-Sorry I’m not made of stone,” she retorted sarcastically, clutching her bleeding shin.

“I can see that,” he sighed, rolling his eyes at her. Before she knew what was happening, he had crouched down and lifted her up, prompting her to hold on to his shoulder for support.

“I can walk myself!” she complained, glaring up at his face.

“You obviously can’t, and you proved it just now,” he countered smugly, “So you better shut up.”

Minji kept staring him, her fingers touching the end of his chain that dangled around in front of her. Just to annoy him, she tugged at it which caused him to glance at her. His eyes were filled with mild annoyance and something else that she couldn’t decipher.

“Stop that,” he said as he walked through the door to the bedroom.

“Why are you wearing this chain?” she asked, reluctantly letting go of it.

“Are you questioning my fashion sense, little human?” he said, his voice dropping a few octaves. She flushed under his piercing gaze.

“No, I was just… curious.”

“Do you not like it?”

She cleared her throat, not quite looking at him anymore. “I never said that.”

“Oh? I see how it is,” he drawled, leaning closer, his hot breath fanning over her face. She froze, knowing that he had gotten under her skin yet again without even making an effort. This demon was _dangerous_.

He dropped her on the bed like she was a sack of potatoes and she gazed up at him dumbfoundedly. His heavy stare made her freeze in her spot. Not two seconds later, he left the room, making her wonder what the hell he was doing, until he came back with a pack of band-aids in his hand. “Here, use that,” he said, throwing it at her. She caught it, looking down at it and back up at him with wide eyes.

“Huh?!”

“What is it now?” he grumbled, crossing his arms.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I don’t want you to die an early death.”

“I won’t die from a scratch,” she said awkwardly, putting a band-aid on the small wound.

“I’m not convinced.”

* * *


	6. No Manners

The woods were quiet, the air fresh after it had only just rained half an hour ago. A light wind blew through the trees, shaking their branches. Minji put her hands in her pockets to keep them warm and looked around nervously, unsure what she was getting herself into. She hoped that the encounter with the witch and the demon would go smoothly and that she would gain something from it. 

“This is so boring,” Baëkhyun complained, walking next to her over the gravel path winding through the trees. “Like I would want to meet a demon that is bonded to a human. What a disgrace,” he grumbled surly. Minji noted that he wore something different today; black pants combined with an equally dark leather jacket. She wondered where he even got his clothes from since she knew that he definitely didn’t work for the money they cost. She assumed he probably stole them because she doubted he had enough respect for the shop owners to bother paying for them.

“Oh, shut up. This might help us,” she countered, shooting him a pointed glare. “And you better not be rude or attack them, demon.”

He clicked his tongue, his lips curling into an evil smirk that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. “What would you do to stop me?” he asked sassily.

She mumbled something under her breath, folding her arms.

They soon reached the old ruin in the woods where they were supposed to meet the witch. It was nothing special, just the remains of an old memorial and for some reason, the witch had proposed to meet here instead of in the city center. Minji didn’t mind the hike, but Baëkhyun’s constant nagging had gone on her nerves.

At first, she didn’t see anyone in the vicinity, but when Baëkhyun suddenly straightened his back, his eyes becoming more alert, she looked around nervously. Speckles of light surrounded his body, shimmering ominously. “They’re here already,” he muttered lowly, warning Minji.

Only few seconds later, two people emerged from behind the ruin, walking closer, but still keeping a respectful distance. A young woman with violet dyed hair stood next to a tall man. His iris was almost white, startling Minji with its eerie glow. A painful looking scar covered his right eye and stretched over his cheek, probably a reminder of a fight.

“Baëkhyun,” the black-haired man said, looking more than just a little shocked. “I didn’t expect _you_ to appear here.”

“Likewise, Sehůn,” Baëkhyun retorted, the tone of his voice a mix between disbelieving and resentful. “So this is why you never showed yourself in hell for the past five years.”

“Indeed.”

“Great that you’re acquainted already,” the witch spoke, eyeing Minji with curiosity, taking note of the shining mark on her wrist. “My name is Jangmi, and this is Sehůn, a wind demon.”

“I’m Minji. Thanks for agreeing to this. I was relieved when Eunsook called me and told me about you,” she said with a smile, not yet sure if she could trust the witch, but she seemed friendly except for the fact that she kept scrutinizing Baëkhyun with narrowed eyes. Minji didn’t blame her for her wariness around him. He wasn’t known to be particularly fond of humans and he didn’t make an effort to be nice either. His dark glare spoke volumes…

“She told me you need some advice about the supernatural world. It must be hard when you haven’t grown up with the knowledge of its existence. I’ve been able to see supernatural beings since I was born because I’m the descendant of a long line of witches. My mother and grandmother taught me everything I know about demons, magic and so on,” Jangmi explained.

Minji shuddered, being reminded that there were creatures around her that she couldn’t even see yet. It was a terrifying fact she just couldn’t get used to. Her trepidation was not lost on Jangmi who gave her a calming smile. “You don’t need to worry about them,” the witch added. “They won’t dare to get near you as long as you’re in the company of a stronger demon. Right now, for example, we are alone. There are no ghosts or demons around.”

“I see,” Minji said, sighing in relief. Baëkhyun kept quiet, but he shot the witch distrustful glances every now and then. He didn’t bother taking part in the conversation, looking bored and annoyed. Sehůn, on the other hand, observed Minji with interest in his piercing eyes. He couldn’t wait to find out how this human had managed to convince Baëkhyun to bond with her.

“May I ask how you two know each other?” Minji said, her gaze moving back and forth between Jangmi and Sehůn. The latter was rather calm for a demon, not showing the same temper that Baëkhyun had. He radiated a similar serenity as Yixing, but was more intimidating than her friend, his piercing eyes unsettling her.

“I was in the human world for a while because I was sick of sitting around in hell all the time. It gets dull,” Sehůn said and shrugged. “The constant screams and wails of the tortured souls is annoying.”

Minji gulped, trying not to think about this too much. She didn’t even want to imagine what hell was like. It scared her. Feeling Baëkhyun’s gaze on her, she looked up to see him watching her with a strange expression in his blue eyes, but he didn’t say anything and eventually redirected his attention somewhere else.

“I travelled aimlessly through South Korea and shortly after I reached Seoul, I met Jangmi. She was working in a café and I kept visiting since I was curious about her,” Sehůn went on to explain.

Jangmi giggled, nudging him in the side. “He is such a coffee addict! At first I was surprised when he came by every single day, always ordering the same thing. I knew from the start that he was a demon, but since he was friendly, I didn’t mind his company. We grew closer over time until we eventually became a couple.”

Baëkhyun glared at her like she had committed the worst sin ever, his mouth forming a condescending smile. It wasn’t hard to guess what he was thinking.

“After around four years, we agreed that we wanted to stay together and formed a bond. We never regretted it,” she said, sharing a smile with Sehůn, the kind expression on his face shocking Minji.

“That’s great, I’m happy for you,” Minji said, though her joyful smile didn’t last long and her shoulders sunk in defeat. She didn’t have this kind of luck.

“What about you?” Sehůn asked, noticing Baëkhyun’s glower.

“Uh… it was an accident, as stupid as it sounds,” Minji began, looking at the ground. “To this day I don’t really understand how it was possible.”

“Humans are stupid, lowly creatures!” Baëkhyun snarled as his temper got the best of him. He was seething in anger, his eyes deep red while they stared at her, the color of his iris reminding her of scarlet blood. She flinched.

“Hey, leave her be,” Sehůn intervened, much to Minji’s surprise. “It wasn’t her fault. You can’t blame her for an accident, especially since she didn’t even know about the existence of demons before.”

“Even so, doesn’t change the fact that I’m stuck with her,” he hissed hatefully. “And I wouldn’t have expected you to agree to something so stupid either, Sehůn. You know what happened to Lůhan. You know how quickly this could end in disaster.”

“Lůhan’s death was a tragedy, no doubt,” Sehůn said bitterly, creasing his forehead. “I took this decision after thinking about it for a long time. Besides, Lůhan wouldn’t have wanted us to hate humans, just because he died due to his bond. He always wished for you to be more open towards mortals, but here you are, still filled with so much hate.” Sadness flashed through his gaze before it darkened with resentment.

“I don’t see a reason to change,” Baëkhyun growled, particles of light appearing around him. “Humans are beneath me.”

Jangmi looked sad, sending Minji a pitying look, while Sehůn seemed to get angrier by the second. “That Lůhan died wasn’t the human’s fault, damn it! You should hate the demon who killed him!” Sehůn hissed.

“Do you even know _who_ it was?” Baëkhyun retorted, but Sehůn only shook his head.

“No. I talked to Suhø and Chën before, but they don’t know either,” he answered. “I would feel better if we found the bastard soon.” He looked at Jangmi with a worried scowl, and Minji felt a gust of wind sweep by, ruffling her long hair.

“Well, I’ve always suspected Youngjäe, but I don’t know for sure,” Baëkhyun said. He still sounded angry, and the red that had taken over his iris never faded. “He often made weird remarks about Lůhan.”

“I honestly don’t think it was him. He was never the kind of demon that would meddle in someone’s affairs. I’m sure it was someone else… the thing is, I don’t have a clue who.” Sehůn agitatedly gritted his teeth, another gust of wind shaking the leaves in the trees. Silence fell and the atmosphere became heavy with tension.

Minji was filled with fear and horror at the idea of being murdered in cold blood by some deranged demon, knowing that it would be stronger than her. She was just a human, what could she ever do to defend herself? This was _terrible_ and it could only end in disaster for her. Pain bloomed in her heart, her desperation rising.

“You’re doing it again,” she heard Baëkhyun mumble and looked at him, creasing her brow.

“I can’t help it. Try to see it from my perspective—this is all new to me, I’ve never had to deal with a situation like this before,” she admitted shakily. He put his hand on her chin, tilting her head in his direction so she glanced in his eyes. They were sky-blue, only faint traces of red remaining.

“I told you before, I’m not letting you die. As long as the bond exists, I’m making sure we both survive, so stop being scared all the time,” he muttered seriously.

She parted her lips to speak, but no sound left her mouth. His words were a strange contradiction to his earlier behavior. She didn’t understand him at all, couldn’t comprehend what he was thinking of her. Only one thing was apparent—he meant his words.

They didn’t notice the glance Sehůn and Jangmi shared, both being slightly amused and relieved that Minji and Baëkhyun got along, even if they acted tentative around each other.

“Do you have more questions, Minji?” Jangmi finally said, gaining her attention.

“Um… Eunsook told me that I might experience more side effects of the bond soon. What could happen?” she asked worriedly.

“It’s a little different for everyone, I guess. You might develop an affinity for light magic later on, but I can’t say for sure. Don’t worry about it too much. If you have any questions or want to talk, you can always call me,” Jangmi answered and smiled softly, the corners of her eyes crinkling. Minji returned the smile, glad that she had finally gotten to know someone in a similar situation.

“Thank you, Jangmi!” Minji said and hugged the other woman. She was about to hug Sehůn too, but a certain demon interfered, taking her by the wrist and pulling her away. Minji rolled her eyes at him but didn’t comment on it.

* * *

The rest of the week passed in a blur. Minji stayed at home most of the time since she didn’t really want to expose other people to the danger that was Baëkhyun. She hadn’t figured him out yet and didn’t trust him to let other humans live… He was more unpredictable than a hurricane, in more than one way.

Mochi still lingered in her flat and by now, Minji was convinced it wouldn’t leave anymore. Occasionally, it would sneak outside for an hour or so and later come back. Minji had no clue what it was doing, and she didn’t know if she even wanted to find out… Maybe it was looking for food? Then again, she had never seen Baëkhyun eat or sleep either, and at this point she just thought demons didn’t need to do those things to survive.

On Sunday, Minji tried to distract herself from the sullen demon by dedicating herself to her hobby. She sat at her desk for hours and focused on drawing, on creating a realistic picture of Mochi that had joined her and laid lazily on the table while she worked. Art had always been a way for Minji to distract herself from her worries and burdens, and it was no different now. She had put on headphones and cut out the world around her until she was so concentrated on her drawing that she didn’t even notice when Baëkhyun looked over her shoulder to see what she was doing. He scrunched his nose when he realized that she was simply drawing the low-class demon and walked off to watch tv instead. After spending the entire Sunday afternoon on her drawing, she was proud of herself when it was finished. She held the paper next to Mochi and smiled, seeing the similarities. She had drawn the cute whiskers and perked up ears, tried her best to depict the fluffy fur and the disturbingly sharp teeth.

Minji had been in a good mood for the rest of the evening and the next morning started out better than she could have imagined. She was finally back in Yixing’s office, hoping to get some work done. After a week of being mostly at home, she felt an itch in her fingers, an urge to write another news article.

“Good morning, Yixing,” she said and smiled at him, before she threw Baëkhyun a disapproving glare since he didn’t bother greeting the other demon and walked over to the window to stare outside in boredom.

“Morning you two. I see you’re still in one piece, Minji. That means I won’t have to rip Baëkhyun apart just yet,“ Yixing answered with an amused tone in his voice that riled Baëkhyun up. The lamps flickered dangerously, dimming and brightening, but Yixing simply ignored it. “How was your week at home? Are you feeling better?”

“It was fine… I met Sehůn a few days ago, but other than that…” she trailed off, seeing Yixing nod his head.

“Ah, yes. I heard he got bonded too. Must have been nice to meet a demon that isn’t as rude as Baëkhyun,” the black-haired demon said, his smirk widening when Baëkhyun glowered at him. “Anyways, I’ve got an interesting task for you, Minji. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

“Really? What is it?” she asked excitedly, causing him to laugh.

“Remember my contact at the police station? She informed me that there have been various missing persons cases in Seoul, and she wants us to cover them in one of our next issues since the police is struggling to find witnesses and further leads. You could start by interviewing friends and families of the missing people.”

“I’ll take care of it! This is right up my alley,” she smiled, glad to be of help again. When it came to missing persons cases, her assistance was appreciated by the police officers, especially when they wanted to attract public attention.

“Great,” Yixing grinned. “Here is all the information we have so far.” He handed her a folder and she put it under her arm, intending to read its content later.

“Remember to be careful, Minji. I have a bad feeling about this. In fact, I’m only letting you work on it because I know you will be taken care of,” he added, sending Baëkhyun a pointed look which he returned with a cocky smirk. Yixing sighed at his haughty attitude, secretly wishing he was dealing with Sehůn instead. Or Suhø. Or someone else that wasn’t arrogant as Baëkhyun.

“Thanks, Yixing! I won’t disappoint!” she grinned. “I’ll try to have the first news article ready soon.”

“Don’t overwork yourself, Minji,” Yixing reminded her, waving at her when she left with the white-haired demon.

They headed outside to her car where she opened the folder and uncovered its content. She was excited for this, skimming over the pages with interest. Baëkhyun glanced at her questioningly, unused to this kind of enthusiasm from her. He let her read the file for a good ten minutes until he became impatient, grumbling something under his breath.

“This is boring,” he complained, earning a dark look.

“Shut up, demon. Go back to hell if it bothers you that much,” she replied and closed the folder with a sigh.

“Only if you join me,” he said huskily, a devilish smirk appearing on his lips that made her cheeks flush. She bit her lip, looking out the car window instead. _This damn demon_.

“We have work to do. No time for trips to hell,” she said, turning on the engine and leaving the parking lot with a clear destination in mind. “We’re paying the family of the first missing person a visit. Judging by what I just read, this could be a series of kidnappings or even murders which I hope isn’t the case. If we’re dealing with homicides, I’ll have to back out and leave it to the police.” Her grip on the steering wheel tightened and she hoped for the sake of everyone involved that the victims would be found safe and sound. However, she also knew that she shouldn’t expect happy endings. Those rarely happened in real life.

“You’re serious about this,” he remarked, watching her from the corner of his eye. Today, he had chosen to wear a tight black shirt paired with equally black leather pants. Thankfully, he had left the silver chain he usually wore on his face at home. She could only imagine how the family they were about to visit would have reacted to it. He appeared intimidating enough as he was, he didn’t need any accessories to emphasize it.

“This has been my job ever since I finished school and I’m passionate about what I do,” Minji replied.

They fell silent after that, Minji driving the car through traffic on the busy streets of Seoul. She parked it close to an apartment building in the Geumcheon district, located in the southern part of the city. Leaving the car, she brought a notepad and her smartphone to record the interview. Eyeing Baëkhyun carefully, she pursed her lips, thinking it would be better if he stayed in the car.

“Do you _have to_ accompany me?” she nagged.

“Yes, and you can’t do shit about it,” he answered, grinning when he saw her pissed-off expression.

“Fine, but behave yourself, _demon_.”

“You wish, _human_.”

She groaned, walking to the building and ringing the doorbell. He followed her like a shadow, climbing up the stairs when the door was opened for them. They soon reached a flat on the second floor where they were awaited by a man and a woman in their fifties, both looking worse for wear.

“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Kim, I’m the journalist working for Mr. Zhang,” she said politely. “My name is Lee Minji.”

“Thank you for coming by, please come in. You are truly a blessing,” Mrs. Kim said, her eyes welling up with tears. Minji heard Baëkhyun click his tongue and shot him a warning glare over her shoulder.

They followed the couple in the living room where they sat around a coffee table. Minji noted that the flat was very clean and tidy, there wasn’t anything out of place and there were no items laying around either. The cleanliness was a little too overdone in her opinion, but to each their own.

She readied her smartphone’s recording app and took her notepad, all the while smiling encouragingly at the couple.

“Can you tell me more about your daughter? Where she was last seen and when?”

“Yes, of course,” Mr. Kim said, creasing his brow when he thought back to a week ago. “Yoona was on her way back from her part-time job at the library. It was late already on a Thursday night. She wrote us a quick text before she left, telling us she would be home soon, but she never arrived. We got the text at 9.30 pm.”

“Did you look for her?” Minji asked.

“Yes, we left at around 11 pm because we were worried and called the police too. We walked the entire way to the library, but she was nowhere to be found,” Mrs. Kim said, sniffling a little. “The police tracked her phone and eventually found it laying in a trash bin near the library.”

Minji frowned. This didn’t sound good at all. Without her phone, Yoona had no chance to call for help, supposing she was still alive… “Can you describe what she was wearing when she disappeared?”

Mrs. Kim nodded and proceeded to describe her daughter’s clothing that consisted of a simple shirt and jeans, something inconspicuous that unfortunately didn’t stand out at all. Minji already knew that Yoona was a 21-year-old university student, hard-working and not the kind of person that would run away from home just like that. It was very likely that she had been taken by someone.

“Her fellow students have put up posters all over university, but so far it was fruitless. They’re also using social media to spread word. We’re hoping that your article will support their efforts,” Mrs. Kim said. Minji felt her heart clench seeing the sorrow in her eyes and she vowed to do all she could to help.

“Does Yoona by any chance have enemies? Someone who she doesn’t get along with?”

“Not that we know of. She usually gets along with everyone, though sometimes she is a bit shy,” Mr. Kim answered. “We couldn’t think of anyone who would want to harm her, so we believe that a stranger might be involved.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Minji replied. She had gotten all the information about Kim Yoona that she needed for her article and decided to end the interview here. It was plain to see that Mr. and Mrs. Kim were struggling to keep themselves together and she didn’t want to bother them for longer than necessary. “Thank you for your time,” Minji said, putting her smartphone away. “Let’s hope that Yoona will be found soon.”

“Thank you for your efforts,” Mrs. Kim said before Baëkhyun and Minji left.

They went back to the car, sitting inside. “This wasn’t as insightful as I had hoped,” she sighed, glancing at her notes. “But there is one thing I already know. The victims share certain similarities… which leads me to think that whoever is responsible for their disappearances doesn’t just choose them randomly. At least, that’s what I’m picking up from Yixing’s file.”

“And what are those similarities?” Baëkhyun asked, raising his eyebrows. He seemed a bit more interested in the cases now than before.

“Firstly, they are all women. Secondly, each vanished late in the evening or during the night when they were walking through the city alone. Thirdly, it always happened here in Geumcheon. And lastly, every woman that vanished was in her twenties, had black hair and blood type O. The latter is kind of strange, if you’re asking me. Could be just a coincidence, though.”

“In other words, whoever is responsible specifically picks their victims and stalks them on their way home to ambush them,” Baëkhyun summed up, smirking to himself. “Ah, this is getting interesting. I wonder what’s going on with the culprit. Are they maybe… a psychopath? A serial murderer?”

“You’re sounding too excited for this,” she said, hiding her unease behind an unreadable expression.

“Well, this person clearly wants to go to purgatory. It’s always fun to drag humans over there; they scream until their throats are sore,” he laughed evilly, a shudder running through Minji’s body. She tensed and shot him a wide-eyed look.

“You’re insane.”

“Thanks.”

“Ugh, why do I have to be stuck with you?” she grumbled, trying hard to ignore his smug expression.


	7. Ghosts and Demons

Tuesday morning was spent at the kitchen table in front of her computer, a mug with steaming coffee next to her. Baëkhyun was in the living room, the muffled sounds of the tv reaching her ears. He had recently acquired a PlayStation 4, probably stolen from somewhere, and he’d been spending a lot of time playing various video games. Minji was fine with it since he at least didn’t annoy or tease her when he was otherwise occupied.

They had spent the entire afternoon yesterday hunting leads and visiting the families of the missing women, in some cases even their friends or whoever had last seen them. Minji had been able to collect a good amount of useful information and when they went back home, she felt like she had accomplished something. She had been busy writing everything down since this morning, and she hoped that making people aware of these crimes would increase the chances to find witnesses.

The news article was written in record speed, Minji reading over it again a while later to do some last-minute edits before she emailed it to Yixing. He replied soon, sending her his thanks. When she was about to open a new file to write down some more notes for herself, Mochi decided to join her, laying on top of her laptop’s keyboard, yawning lazily.

Minji was torn between smiling at the cute sight and groaning because she couldn’t work like this. “Come on, Mochi. You can’t stay here,” she sighed, earning a distorted meow. “Are all demons this self-centered?”

“I heard that,” Baëkhyun yelled from the living room.

“Great, you jerk!” she shouted back as she stared at the lazy cat.

“Stupid human,” she heard him grumble, but she didn’t grace him with an answer. Getting up from her chair, she walked over to the living room, lingering in the doorway.

“I’ll go grocery shopping,” she announced, and he groaned in annoyance.

“Why now? I’m in the middle of something here,” he said, not even taking his eyes off the screen to look at her.

“You don’t have to accompany me all the time, you know? I don’t need a babysitter,” she said in a huff. “I’ll be back later. Do you want anything?”

“No,” he replied curtly and she rolled her eyes at him.

“Fucking rude demon,” she muttered and walked out the room to grab her purse and jacket, leaving the flat and hurrying outside. Minji took a deep breath, lungs filling with fresh morning air. She didn’t even remember when she had last left her home without him tagging along, so this felt like she was free as a bird. No nagging, no complaints, no flirty comments. It was literally _heaven_!

She got in her car and drove through the city, heading to the next supermarket to buy all the groceries she needed. It didn’t take long, barely an hour had passed since she left the flat and she didn’t want to go back just yet. That moody demon would survive without her for another hour. She didn’t need him and he didn’t need her, it was that easy. Glaring at the star-shaped mark in annoyance, she slipped her sleeve over it. At least it didn’t glow like radioactive waste when he wasn’t around. Grinning at the thought, she reentered her car and drove off, intending to take a look at a certain place that played a big role in the missing persons cases.

She left the car in a deserted parking garage, quickly heading outside and checking the map on her smartphone to ensure she was on the right track. Minji was back in Geumcheon, intending to pay a visit to the place where both Kim Yoona and a young accountant named Jung Aecha had disappeared. Usually, the culprit ambushed their victims in different spots in this district, but with these two women, it had happened in the very same area twice. Minji didn’t understand why the culprit took a risk like that. He or she had to be confident about not being found…

The whole mystery surrounding the disappearances combined with the desperation of the victims’ families urged her to do something to uncover the truth. She knew that the police was already working on it, but she wanted to do her best to support them. Minji had never wanted to be one of those journalists that wrote pointless stories filled with lies, uncovering the private lives of famous people. She wanted to accomplish something; not make money by exploiting others and therefore she had chosen to work for a reputable newspaper instead of a tabloid.

Her destination was a public green area, a park with trees and a lake in the middle where people would usually come to relax. Since the incidents, it had become emptier, but to Minji’s disbelief, some people still strolled around without care.

Minji walked over the gravel path, glancing around attentively until she reached the spot where one of the women had supposedly disappeared. Her purse was found here, the only evidence that she had even been here at one point. Minji left the path and looked around until her eyes spotted something strange. The bark of a nearby tree seemed a little different than that of the others nearby. Stepping closer, she narrowed her eyes and used her smartphone to take a photo of it. The bark was tinted a darker color here, the shade looking suspiciously similar to blood. It was roughly at the same height as Minji’s head and left her wondering if it originated from the poor missing woman. Maybe the culprit had slammed her against the tree? Minji’s stomach churned, just thinking about such a violent act, and she suddenly felt very uncomfortable, turning on her heels to leave the eerie spot.

Walking back to the gravel path, she passed a young woman that was busy talking on her phone, wearing sunglasses and seeming oblivious to the horrors that had occurred nearby. Minji gritted her teeth and moved on, heading to a pavilion in the middle of the park. It was white and had a dome roof, looking like it was taken straight from a fairy tale. It was lovely but knowing that something terrible had happened in the vicinity destroyed the beautiful image in Minji’s eyes. In the case of the second victim, the young accountant, the police had found her discarded jacket after searching the green area. It had been left in the pavilion, its edges ripped in some parts, mostly at the ends of the sleeves. Minji walked up the steps and stood in the middle of the small pavilion, an ominous feeling of foreboding creeping over her. She sensed that something was wrong, but she did not know what. It was hard to describe.

She couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but she noted that the pavilion was quite secluded from the rest of the park, surrounded by dense bushes and trees. It would be so easy to lure someone here, to a supposedly romantic spot, just to ambush the person when they least expected it. Maybe the woman had been caught off guard by the culprit, or maybe she had planned to meet them, not realizing the danger it put her in.

Minji was abruptly ripped from her thoughts when she felt a faint pulse originating from the mark on her wrist. Covering it with her hand, she furrowed her brow. This hadn’t happened in a while and she wondered what it could mean this time. Was it a warning? Her breath hitched when she realized that this was likely to be true and coldness seeped into her body, petrifying her. Part of the bond’s magic was that it warned the human counterpart if they were in danger. It seemed that she wasn’t safe anymore.

Nervously looking around, she didn’t spot anyone in the vicinity, but that didn’t mean she was truly alone. “Oh my God,” she whispered, hurrying back to the gravel path to leave this secluded area fast. Her sneakers made a crunching sound as she ran, her black hair flying after her. Fear was making her lose control of her thoughts and they became a mess, constantly circling around the fact that she didn’t want to be kidnapped. She didn’t want to be a victim too. Her legs moved faster, bringing her to the end of the green area. The traffic on the busy street became visible between the trees.

However, the pulsing of the mark didn’t stop, not even when she was on the sidewalk with many other people around her. She ought to be relatively safe here, nobody would dare do anything to her when she was out in the open. Nonetheless, she glanced around inconspicuously, meeting the annoyed gazes of some people behind her. She still didn’t know where this strange feeling came from, if someone really was after her right now, or if Baëkhyun had something to do with it. Maybe he was doing something that caused it? Minji knew that this was unlikely as she had never felt any kind of sensation through the bond from him before. He never hurt himself, he didn’t feel emotional pain either. Compared to her, he was like a brick…

She went back to the parking garage, entering through a door and walking up the stairs to the floor where her car was. The pulsing abruptly intensified and her steps quickened. The half-broken lamps close by flickered, some having turned off because they were old and malfunctioned. It was an unsettling sight; and for once she would have preferred if it was Baëkhyun just messing with her. He liked to play around with the light when he wanted to annoy her, but now he wasn’t anywhere near her. She was alone. Or at least, she hoped she was.

It was hard to tell right now.

Passing countless rows of cars, her eyes roamed over them, trying to spot her own car that had to be here somewhere. A strong sense of fear grew within her when she thought she heard footsteps that weren’t her own. Ice cold fright flooded her body, her spine going rigid in the process. Tensing up, she looked over her shoulder, but she didn’t see anyone. She finally spotted her car and ran towards it as fast as she could. Pressing the button on her key, she unlocked it from afar, ripped the door open and sat inside, locking the car from the inside. She didn’t take the time to put on her seatbelt, flooring the gas pedal as she raced out the parking garage, nearly grazing a wall by accident. For a moment, the pulses of her mark became painful, and then they went away like they had never even been there. Like she had just imagined the entire thing. She drove down the street, stopping at a red traffic light and leaned her forehead against the steering wheel, taking a deep breath to calm her galloping heartbeat.

This had been a weird occurrence—making her wonder how much danger she had been in just now.

* * *

Entering her flat, she put the heavy grocery bags down and sighed in relief. “Finally,” she breathed, leaning against the door with closed eyes.

“Yes, finally,” a dark voice growled right in front of her, causing her to open her eyes. Baëkhyun looked more than just a little pissed. “You can’t even go grocery shopping without getting in trouble.”

“How did you know?” she said, swallowing when he put his hand on the door right next to her shoulder, his face close to hers. Her eyes were captured by his, red swirling through his iris.

“I sensed it,” he said as if it was the most logical thing and she was just dumb for not realizing. “I always know when you get yourself in danger. The problem is, if I don’t know where you are, I can’t do anything about it.” The light in the hallway dimmed. His fingers moved to her neck, to the spot where he felt her nervous pulse under her skin. “You keep forgetting that your life isn’t yours anymore.”

“It isn’t yours either, demon. We’re sharing it,” she corrected, not hiding her anger. He completely ignored her words, his fingers moving down to her wrist, encasing it. He glanced at the glowing star on it, his eyes clouding with an emotion that Minji couldn’t decipher.

“If you aren’t more careful from now on, we’ll have to try a different approach,” he said lowly, the suggestive tone of his voice catching her off guard. Glancing in his blue eyes, she swallowed, her gaze moving to the silver chain and down to his lips. They curled into a confident smirk when he noted her look. He took her reaction as an invitation to inch closer to her, resting his forehead against hers, hypnotizing her with his gorgeous eyes. “You’re fun to mess with,” he said in a velvety tone that made her knees go weak. His breath ghosted over her lips, but he never kissed her.

“Damn demon,” she huffed, putting her hands on his chest to get some distance between them. To her surprise, he moved away immediately and let her pass him, but she still felt his amused glance on the back of her head when she entered the kitchen to put the groceries away.

She didn’t understand him—he was an enigma to her. He was intimidating one second, and then acting like a tease the next. What did he want to achieve with his suggestive comments all the time? He couldn’t possibly be attracted to her, she was human after all. She wasn’t sure what to make of his behavior. A traitorous part of her just wanted to pull him in and kiss him, while the more cautious part kept reminding her that he was dangerous and stronger than her. Even so, she had to admit she was relieved that he never hit her like her ex-boyfriend had done. She gritted her teeth. Dongmin had been despicable; and it had taken her too long to get away from him. That they had shared a flat hadn’t helped either. Minji was reluctant with physical closeness to others after what happened with both him and Jaehyun, but for some reason, Baëkhyun’s presence never bothered her in a way that made her feel disgusted. On the contrary, she felt a certain attraction towards him even though it was wrong. After all, he was only here because he had no other choice. She really had no luck with men…

* * *

The next morning, before she had even a chance to leave the house and resume her investigation, she received a call from Yixing, picking up immediately. She was sitting at the kitchen table, a bowl with cornflakes in front of her, but when she took the call, she got up to walk in the living room, leaning against the wall. Baëkhyun was sprawled on the sofa, watching her with one eye open.

“Hello Yixing,” she said, smiling. “Anything new?”

“Yes, and it’s bad news. Yesterday, another woman was reported missing to the police. She never reached her home after leaving a party in Geumcheon… I’m sure we are dealing with the very same culprit here. Do you want to look into it?” Yixing asked.

“That’s horrible! Just when I had hope that we had a chance to prevent more crimes,” she whispered bitterly, biting her lower lip when the crushing feeling of failure overcame her. “Will you send me the location and the time it happened? I’ll take a look at the area later. Are there still no suspects?”

“I’ll send the police report to you,” he answered. “And no, nobody has been found yet. It’s strange that someone is able to evade detection like this…”

“Yeah, I’m thinking the same,” she answered, ending the call and waiting for his message. It arrived half a minute later and she curiously opened it. Apparently, it happened around ten pm, but when her eyes read the name of the location, they widened considerably. Her mouth fell open in shock and dread washed over her. She sank to the ground, clutching her smartphone in horror.

“H-How? Why?” she breathed.

“What is it?” Baëkhyun asked harshly, kneeling down in front of her and holding her shoulders. His grip brought her back to reality, and she glanced into his eyes.

“Another woman has disappeared without a trace and… and it happened in the exact same place I visited yesterday, only hours after I left,” she said, knowing that the feeling of being stalked yesterday hadn’t just been her imagination. It had been real.

“What?” he snapped, his grip on her shoulders tightening slightly. His anger manifested in the form of glowing light originating from his body, illuminating the room with its unnatural shine. “I thought you were just grocery shopping! Did you go back to Geumcheon all alone?”

“I did,” she whispered barely audible.

“Don’t you see the obvious, are you that blind?” he hissed through his teeth with a sharp tone. “ _You_ share an awful lot of similarities with the other women who vanished, and you could have easily been the next victim. How can you be so reckless to go there alone?”

Her eyes became wet with tears when she realized that he was right. She had believed she was untouchable and safe from whoever terrorized Geumcheon. And why? Because she had a demon on her side? Because she was a journalist, seeing herself as the hunter and not the hunted? It was ridiculous, and she was embarrassed to admit it, but she had made a mistake that could have cost them both a lot.

“I’m sorry, Baëkhyun. I’m so sorry,” she sniffled, a tear rolling down her cheek. She felt bad and her heart ached, knowing that her actions had endangered not only her life but also his.

“I told you before, stop this! I always feel like shit when you’re in distress,” he muttered agitatedly. Clearing her throat, she wiped her face with her sleeve, getting rid of the tears.

“I’m such a burden to you,” she said bitterly, only hating herself more.

“It’s great that you finally see the obvious.”

“You’re good at comforting people,” she countered sarcastically.

“It’s my specialty,” he retorted with a smug smirk, not really meaning his words. “Actually, my specialty is dragging sinners to hell, but that’s almost the same thing.”

“It sure is,” she replied, snorting.

“I’m good at many things, you know?” he whispered, his lips dangerously close to her ear. She looked at him to meet his mischievous gaze, realizing that he was teasing her again.

“Then you’ll take care of washing the dishes today, Mr. I’m-good-at-many-things,” she said, snickering at him. “I’m sure they will be spotless once you’re done.”

He grimaced, rolling his eyes. “Tch, as if I would ever do that,” he grumbled, secretly feeling victorious since their banter had distracted her from her worries so much that the pain in his chest had disappeared. He saw her shoulders relax.

“So, where exactly did the last kidnapping happen?” he asked, remembering her conversation with Yixing. “I would love to get my hands on that creep. I’m not letting myself be challenged by a mere human.”

“I expected you to say something like that,” Minji answered.

“I want to take a look at the area myself. Maybe I’ll find something that your human eyes missed.”

“You suddenly seem very interested in it,” she commented, uneasily shifting her weight from one leg to the other.

“It’s become personal now and I tend to hold grudges for a long, long time,” he hissed and scowled deeply, crossing his arms. “Also, if I murder the fucker, they’re out of the way.”

“Please don’t talk about murder so casually. That’s a terrible crime.”

“I’m a demon, why do you expect me to care?” he said, definitely not understanding what her problem was.

She sighed. “You have a point.”

* * *

She parked the car in the very same parking garage where she had already been yesterday. Looking around nervously, she saw that nothing had changed. The lamps were still half broken, the area still deserted. Minji sighed, guessing that most people who left their cars here were either shopping or working in the company buildings close by.

“That person followed me here yesterday,” she said and looked around with great reluctance, expecting something to jump at her suddenly. “But the woman who was taken disappeared in the park that is close by. Traces of her blood have been found.” Minji was very uneasy now, but she wanted to uncover what had happened to those women and save them. If they could still be saved…

“The culprit followed you here, you say,” Baëkhyun repeated lowly, glancing around attentively, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. He walked down several rows of cars, constantly looking around. Minji trailed after him, not really knowing what he was searching for, but he had to have some sort of plan in mind when he told her he wanted to come here to investigate. He suddenly stopped, and she almost ran right into his back.

“What is it?”

He pointed at the ceiling and she followed his gaze, spotting a CCTV camera. “If we can get our hands on the footage, we’re going to find out who followed you,” he said, smirking victoriously before he shot her a look. “How did you miss something so obvious? Seriously, you have your head in the clouds.”

“Excuse me? I was busy fearing for my life and didn’t have time to look around,” she grumbled, crossing her arms. This demon was insufferable!

“Give me your phone. I’ll call Läy,” he said, and she dialed the number, handing it to him. He leaned against a pillar, playing with one end of his chain as he waited for Yixing to pick up. “Hey, what took so long? You’re a slow ass demon,” he cursed when he finally received an answer.

“Yeah, yeah. Shut up, Läy,” he added after a pause. “I want you to do something for me.” Again, he paused to listen to the other demon’s answer which seemed to annoy him judging by the way his lips turned down.

“Huh? No, I’ve never heard of the word _please_. Sounds like a fucking disease to me,” he said.

Minji snorted, nudging the demon. “Be more polite to him!” she whispered, but of course he didn’t change his attitude.

“Listen, we’re having a problem here. The idiot human managed to get herself in some trouble yesterday and I want to find out what happened. I need the CCTV footage of the parking garage right next to the park where the women disappeared. Can you get your hands on that?” he asked, and now he seemed pleased with the answer he received. He ended the call and handed the phone back to Minji who was visibly curious about their conversation.

“He’ll look into it and send the footage later. In the meantime, I want to see that park you mentioned.”

She nodded and showed him the way. They strolled down the sidewalk, Baëkhyun receiving all kinds of looks, but they didn’t bother him, on the contrary. He used the opportunity to glare murderously at every human that was unfortunate enough to stare at him for longer than three seconds. Minji had to admit that she couldn’t blame the people for looking, he wasn’t exactly inconspicuous with his white hair and the braid, the bright blue eyes and the chain over his face. While his clothes were entirely black, it was those other details that made him stand out. He was attractive looking, too, not that she’d ever admit it to him. His ego was big enough already.

When they finally entered the less crowded park area, they walked over the gravel path in silence, towards the lakeside. Nobody was around when they arrived, but she found a scrap of the crime scene tape that the police must have used when they secured evidence.

“Why always here? What’s so special about this park?” Minji mumbled, staring at the lake in thought.

“Maybe it’s just easier to make people disappear under the cover of the trees,” he answered, shoving his hands in his pockets. He walked over to the tree line, leaving the path and the lake behind. Minji wanted to follow him, not liking to be left alone in this eerie place, but before she could take a single step, nausea washed over her. Her head was hurting all of a sudden. She touched her temples, grimacing. “What’s going on?” she whispered, closing her eyes and hoping that the unexplainable ache would pass soon.

Breathing unevenly, she opened her eyes and saw that Baëkhyun had come back, looking at her weirdly. “What’s wrong now?” he asked annoyedly.

She couldn’t answer him, because her attention was drawn by something close by, something she had never seen before. Her breath hitched, and she froze in trepidation. A peculiar creature was standing not far from her, looking straight at her. It appeared like a person, but at the same time it didn’t. It was a blurry image, translucent and grey. There wasn’t a single color on it, and she could barely make out the blurry shape of its face.

“What is that?” she squeaked. Baëkhyun followed her gaze, not really surprised by the sight that greeted him.

“It’s a ghost. A dead soul that hasn’t fulfilled its last wish yet. It’s stuck here on earth until that has happened. If it doesn’t succeed within one year, it will become an evil spirit, an entity that terrorizes humans until it gets sent to hell by a demon or purified by an exorcist,” Baëkhyun explained, shooting her a curious look. “It seems that you’re no longer blind to the creatures roaming around here.”

She took a deep breath, letting his words sink in. Again, gathered her courage and looked at the phantom not far from her. It appeared to be an old woman that simply watched them without doing anything. Now that Minji took a closer look, she didn’t seem all that intimidating anymore.

“I see, then that means normal ghosts aren’t dangerous, right?”

“No, they couldn’t hurt a fly,” Baëkhyun answered.

“I want to talk to her,” Minji said. “Is that possible?”

“Why would you want to do that? Humans are so strange,” he sighed, but didn’t object when she walked up to the ghost, following her closely. Coming to stand in front of the translucent image, Minji was hit by a sudden sense of melancholia and felt the temperature around her drop a few degrees.

“Hello,” she said awkwardly, not sure what she was even doing, talking to a ghost, but she wanted to find out more about the supernatural world and this was the best way to do it. “Um… I was wondering if you wanted to speak to me? My name is Minji.”

The woman regarded her silently, until eventually she heard her distorted voice speak. “ _Hello_ ,” she said, sounding as quiet as a whisper, before her eyes wandered to Baëkhyun and she flinched back. _“D-Demon,”_ she rasped.

“Yeah, yeah. We know that,” Baëkhyun said sarcastically. “This is why I can’t stand ghosts. Always pointing out the obvious.”

“Shut up, you jerk. I want to speak to her, can’t you let me?” Minji hissed, hitting his shoulder. He looked like he wanted to counter something, but ultimately held his retort back.

Minji turned back to the ghost, smiling apologetically. “I’m sorry about that, he is a very rude demon...” Minji said, her expression turning serious. “I wanted to ask a question. Recently, three women have vanished in this park. Did you maybe see what happened to them?”

The ghost just stared at her for a moment, and then she slowly shook her head, disappointing Minji. Her shoulders slumped in defeat and she came to terms with the fact that she had come here for nothing. “Thank you, I wish you all the best. Don’t linger here for too long,” she said to the old woman, seeing her smile slightly. She gave a nod, and then she just vanished into thin air, blurring until she was gone.

“W-Wow. I just talked to a ghost,” Minji said before her eyes widened abruptly. “Oh wow! I talked to a ghost! That is so _awesome_!” She got all excited, eyes sparkling and smile widening. Baëkhyun watched her with raised eyebrows, but he couldn’t hold back the small smirk that appeared on his lips at her bubbly behavior.

“Typical human,” he said under his breath.


	8. Trust needs to be earned

Since they hadn’t found any useful clues in the area, they soon walked back, about to leave the park, when Minji spotted something else. This time, it wasn’t a ghost, but a much creepier creature. Minji thought it looked like a spider, but with a larger body that reached up to her knees and glowing red eyes. Its hairy legs were the most disgusting thing Minji had ever seen and paired with the huge number of eyes on its head, she thought that this creature could have come straight from a nightmare. She had always hated spiders, but THIS really took the cake. A strange dark mist surrounded it and when its gaze fixated on her, it let out a low sound that made her shudder in revulsion.

She quickly hid herself behind Baëkhyun, clutching his shirt in panic. “Eww! Make it go away,” she squeaked, horrified by the unnatural being. This abomination was the epitome of _disgusting_.

“Oh come on, it won’t dare come near me. Stop being scared,” he said and turned around to look at her amusedly. “That’s a low-class demon belonging to the element of darkness. It’s not particularly dangerous… unless you’re human.”

“You’re not helping,” she hissed, glaring at him. “I would have preferred not seeing those creepy things everywhere.”

“Not seeing them doesn’t mean they’re not there,” he retorted, taking her wrist to lead her out the park which meant they would walk by the creepy spider demon. She clutched his arm, hearing him chuckle lowly. Her wide eyes never left the spider that hissed when they passed by.

“Are you trying to tell me that those beasts have been roaming around me all my life without me noticing?” she whispered.

“Yes.”

“That’s terrible!!” she forced out, throwing a look over her shoulder only to see that the demon had disappeared. _That_ was the scariest part of seeing a spider. When it was suddenly gone and you had no idea where it went, meaning it could reappear anywhere, at any given time. Minji shuddered, shoving the unsettling thought to the back of her mind. “Would this thing have attacked me if I had been alone?”

“Hard to say. Lower class demons are unpredictable. They normally keep to themselves, only sometimes, when they crave blood, you shouldn’t be anywhere near them,” he said and shrugged, not really caring about weaker demons. “High-class demons on the other hand… they are even more unpredictable and since most of them look like humans, you’d only notice the danger you’re in when it’s too late.”

Minji sighed deeply. This was worse than she thought. She had often feared being able to see those creatures, ever since she first heard of it, but having to deal with this was hard. Now that she looked around, her eyes moving over the street and the buildings surrounding it, she noted certain beings that hadn’t been there before.

She spotted a light demon, the kind that was already familiar to her, sitting on a lamp post, peering down at her and Baëkhyun. This one appeared like a bird and it glimmered softly, not looking nearly as frightening as the spider. On the other side of the street, Minji saw another ghost hovering over the ground, staring into nothingness, and when she raised her head to glance at the sky, she flinched seeing a creepy apparition fly by.

“I’ll have to get used to it,” she whispered to herself, but her voice quaked and betrayed her fear of the unknown. This was reality, it had been like this all her life, she just hadn’t been aware. She had to convince herself somehow that nothing had changed.

“You’re clingier than usual today,” Baëkhyun commented, smirking at her since she still held on tightly to his arm. She gritted her teeth and let go, her pride not allowing her to act like this any longer. She was a grown woman, not a child.

“Don’t mock me.”

“Just stating facts,” he grinned amusedly.

* * *

Back at home, Minji got comfortable on the sofa, opening her laptop. She was soon joined by Mochi that snuggled up to her thigh, purring softly. “Aww, have you missed me?” she smiled, gently petting it behind its ears. “So cute.”

“I will never understand your infatuation with this lowly creature,” a haughty voice commented.

She rolled her eyes, not budging when he sat down next to her on the sofa. “What does it matter to you? I like Mochi because its cute and cuddly. Besides, it’s not like you’ve thrown it out, seems to me like you have a soft spot for it as well.”

“Maybe I’m only tolerating it because of you,” he grumbled, leaning back on the sofa and stretching his legs.

“Oh? Are you attempting to be nice?” she grinned, raising her eyebrows.

“No.”

She sighed, opening her emails in the internet browser to see if Yixing had sent her the video files already. And indeed, he had. Nervously, she opened the message and downloaded the attached files. She didn’t know how the demon had gotten his hands on the CCTV footage, but she assumed that supernatural beings had their ways to achieve things a human couldn’t.

Opening the video file, she watched it with bated breath, Baëkhyun moving closer to her to take a look as well. She skipped ahead for a while until she found the exact moment she hurried back into the parking garage. Seeing herself run for her life, looking around in fear, showed her once again in terrifying clarity how dangerous the situation had been. The second she sat in her car and locked the doors, a person became appeared, walking down the rows of cars closer to her. It was a man dressed in dark clothes. He was quite tall and lean, moving with a certain elegance that she wouldn’t expect of a criminal. He strode in the direction of her car, getting very close, but when she drove off, she left him behind and he stopped. The way he stared after the car sent chills up her spine. His hands clenched to fists and she could have sworn his eyes glowed red for a brief moment. He ran towards the exit and disappeared around a corner.

Minji paused the video and took a deep breath, her heartbeat quickening in panic. This had been much closer than she had expected.

“That’s it, I’m killing him,” Baëkhyun snarled with a finality that proved he wouldn’t change his mind.

“But you can’t just take his life! We need to inform the police. They have to interfere now… this case is too big for us,” she said, tearing her eyes away from the screen to look at his blazing red eyes. He was furious and he didn’t hide it.

“You don’t understand,” he growled. “This person isn’t human. Whatever creature he is, if you leave it to the police, they will never catch him. He would probably kill them all.”

“W-What?”

“I’m going back later tonight. If I kill the bastard, you are safe and I won’t die early. Problem solved.”

“How can you make it sound that easy?” she sighed, not happy about his reliance on violence to solve everything. It was foreign to her, a normal law-abiding citizen.

“Because it is that easy,” he drawled confidently, leaning closer to her, hypnotizing her with his heavy gaze. “Don’t you trust me?”

“I… I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said in a breathy tone.

“You might be right about that,” he answered huskily, moving closer until his lips were hovering over her neck. She was overwhelmed, felt her body tensing in anticipation, but all he did was breathe a soft kiss to her pulse, feeling the nervous beats of her heart beneath his lips. His hand moved up to her cheek and his thumb ghosted over her skin as he looked up at her with hooded eyes.

“What are you doing?” she managed to say. This demon could make her melt in a heartbeat; his touch was addicting and intoxicating like a drug.

The only answer she received was a knowing smirk that made her traitorous heart flutter. He tilted her head back a bit, supporting her and keeping eye contact. His iris was the color of endless sky-blue and she froze under the intensity of his gaze, getting an idea what he would do, but she didn’t mind at all. Baëkhyun’s attention moved lower to her slightly parted lips. He closed the gap between them and kissed her. She clutched his shirt to pull him closer and felt his lips curl in amusement at her impatience. He kissed her with surprising gentleness, making her forget about her earlier trepidation. A pleasant warmth flooded her body, chasing the fear away the longer the kiss held on.

She tried to stop herself, but she got lost in the moment, forgetting everything around her despite knowing that his only intention was to play with her. He hated humans, that wasn’t exactly a secret, and therefore she didn’t understand why he would kiss her. The only explanation she could come up with was that he wanted to mess with her. That alone should have been reason enough for her to end the kiss, but she couldn’t. He had a sort of power over her that made it really hard to resist temptation. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he was a demon, she didn’t know.

His tongue brushed over her lower lip as his mouth moved against hers, deepening the kiss. Now he got more demanding, and suddenly he did something that she hadn’t expected. He put some of his weight on her and she fell back, laying under him on the sofa. The position felt familiar, and not in a good way. She shuddered, still feeling his lips on hers, but the fire in her body had burned out, leaving emptiness. He encased her wrists with his hands, pinning them to the sofa. His grip wasn’t tight nor was it painful, but it instilled an old fear within her, one that she had been sure she had left behind long ago.

Memories flashed before her eyes, and suddenly, she wasn’t in her flat anymore. It wasn’t Baëkhyun hovering over her, it was Dongmin. Her body was hurting when she remembered what he did to her, when she recalled the relentless punches and all the agony she had endured. He was here again, and he held her down, caging her and not letting her go. Her eyes started to burn, tears running over her cheeks as she pushed against his grip. She breathed unevenly in panic and dread washed over her. “S-Stop it, Dongmin,” she pleaded, closing her eyes tightly. Her entire body tensed as soon as she had spoken when she remembered that he usually didn’t appreciate her fighting him. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself for the inevitable, but to her surprise, his hold slackened and disappeared completely. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. Her blurry sight cleared and she found herself staring at a familiar ceiling.

“Minji?” she heard someone say hesitantly and her eyes moved to Baëkhyun who sat next to her with a considerable distance and studied her cautiously. His earlier smugness was gone. Only now she came to realize that her mind had tricked her. Dongmin wasn’t here; he hadn’t been anywhere near her for years.

“What’s wrong?” Baëkhyun asked, an odd tone in his voice. She wiped the last tears from her eyes and sat up shakily, pulling her legs close to her body and hugging them with her arms.

“Please don’t do that again,” she just answered, and he frowned, creasing his brow.

“I won’t.” He ran a hand through his white hair, not meeting her eyes anymore, staring at the coffee table instead. Silence fell over them. It was heavy and suffocating. Minji didn’t like it, but she didn’t know what she should say to break it. She could only imagine how weird her behavior must have looked to him, and judging by his reaction, he wasn’t sure what to make of it. Biting her lip, she rested her chin on her knees and concentrated on keeping a calm façade, not letting anything of her inner turmoil out. However, she forgot that he could feel her pain—she was unable to hide it.

“Who is Dongmin?” he asked out of the blue, causing her shoulders to tense.

Again, the room was silent until she had collected herself. “My ex,” she said curtly, and that was the only answer she gave him. The pain in his chest intensified, and he raised his eyebrows in suspicion. He observed her in an attempt to understand what she was thinking, taking note of the slight tremble of her lower lip, and the shimmer of her teary eyes. Minji never once looked at him, shame visible in her gaze. She appeared defeated, and he had to admit to himself that he did not like the sight. It made him feel frustrated for some reason.

Baëkhyun got up abruptly, putting even more distance between them. He had never been good at comforting people, on the contrary. Normally he was the cause for people’s grief, how should someone like him console anybody? He wasn’t like Läy, he didn’t get along with humans and he didn’t understand their fickle emotions either. Shedding tears was a foreign act to him—he couldn’t comprehend why humans did this kind of thing since it wasn’t helpful in any way. Why cry when you could take care of your problems by relying on violence? Using force had always been his way to get rid of obstacles, but this time that approach would not work. He knew that much, and it irritated him to no end.

“Listen, I will leave now and go back to Geumcheon. I probably won’t be back until morning,” he said suddenly, sending her one last glance before he turned to walk away.

“Be careful,” she said quietly, not knowing if he even heard it.

After he was gone, she stared at the closed door without moving a muscle. She hated herself for acting pathetic, for being controlled by an old memory. She had proven to Baëkhyun that she was nothing but a weak human, the kind of person that he would never accept, and she was ashamed for it. Groaning, she hid her face in her hands. There had been something new in his eyes when he looked at her just now and she feared that it was abhorrence, disgust. She had trouble reading him, but she was sure that she had seen a negative emotion clouding the blue of his iris. It had been dyed red in some spots and this only happened when he was angry or upset.

Why did Dongmin still hold so much power over her? She wanted to lead her life the way she wanted and not constantly be held back by an old trauma. He had ruined her, and she had realized too late how much damage he had done to her mind. Sometimes she felt caged by her fear, trapped in a room without being able to get out.

In an attempt to distract herself from her growing distress, she took her smartphone and scrolled through her list of contacts, wondering if she should call someone, just to talk for a bit. Preferably about something light-hearted and unrelated to her jumbled thoughts. She needed a distraction, otherwise she would go insane.

Her eyes fell on a name. Jangmi, the young witch that she had gotten to know a while ago. She hadn’t seen her since and figured it wouldn’t hurt to talk to her again since she had been very nice. Dialing her number, Minji didn’t have to wait long for her to pick up.

“Hey Minji, what a surprise,” her happy voice chirped, the joyful sound of it lifting Minji’s mood a little bit.

“Hello Jangmi, how are you?”

“Fine, I just returned home. You called at the perfect time,” she said. Hearing a male voice speak in the background, Minji assumed it was Sehůn since they lived together. “We visited the new Chinese restaurant around the corner, and guess what? Their food is fantastic! You should totally join us next time for a double date.”

Minji cringed. “Uh… I don’t know if Baëkhyun would like that.”

Jangmi laughed gleefully. “Fuck that, just drag him along. He’s a grumpy little shit.”

Surprised by her colorful language, Minji’s mouth fell open. “Stop swearing so much!” Sehůn reprimanded her in the background, and Minji couldn’t hold in a faint smile. Sehůn wasn’t like most other demons, Minji had already thought that when she first met him.

“Minji? Are you still there?”

“Huh? Yeah, I am. You just surprised me, is all,” she replied. “We could go eat dinner together soon, maybe not as a double date, but…”

“Are you not getting along with Baëkhyun? I thought you were close to each other. If not, then I’m sorry,” Jangmi answered, sounding a little dejected.

“It’s complicated,” she replied, not really wanting to speak about it right now and therefore she was glad when Jangmi changed the topic.

“What have you been doing this past week?”

“I’ve been busy with work. There have been several missing persons cases recently and I’ve written a few news articles about them. It seems like the culprit isn’t human which is why we can’t leave this to the police,” Minji explained.

“I see, sounds dangerous. Always be careful, okay?”

“Don’t worry, I am,” she said, remembering something else. “By the way, I’m able to see supernatural creatures now… and it’s quite a shock. How have you been dealing with this since you were a child? For me, only a single day is already enough.”

“Seems like your bond is getting stronger, huh? I didn’t think it would happen so fast,” Jangmi said. “You will get used to it soon. It usually helps to just ignore the creatures, because if they notice that you can see them, they might go after you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Minji answered with a frown. 

“Good. And if you want to meet, just tell me. I’ll make time for you, girl,” Jangmi offered.

“That’s nice of you. We should do that soon,” she said smiling. “How is Sehůn doing?”

“Oh, you know. Same old demon. He’s still a coffee addict and he always gets hyper when he drinks too much of it. Earlier in the China restaurant, he discovered his love for fried chicken,” Jangmi giggled.

“Are you gossiping about me?” Sehůn asked in the background. His voice was muffled, but Minji nonetheless heard it.

“Yes,” Jangmi replied. “No, just kidding. I’m daydreaming about you, sweetheart.”

Minji could imagine Sehůn rolling his eyes at her, but he didn’t say anything more. “You are so cute,” Minji commented amusedly.

“Thanks,” Jangmi giggled.

They kept talking for a while until Jangmi became tired and ended the call, telling Minji she would go to sleep soon since it was late. Minji put her phone on the coffee table, her eyes checking the clock on the tv stand.

It was 1 am now, and Baëkhyun hadn’t returned yet. He’d already told her he would be gone for most of the night, but she still worried about him, hoping everything was fine. After she unintentionally chased him out earlier, he probably didn’t want to be near her. Frowning, she laid on the sofa and rolled on her side, her eyes glued to the ticking clock. She wanted to stay up and wait for him to come back, but her plan was thwarted when the exhaustion became overpowering. She fell asleep eventually, sprawled over the sofa. Mochi took it as an invitation to join her and huddled against her chest.

* * *

Baëkhyun had been stalking the streets around and in the park for hours, keeping his eyes open, but he hadn’t encountered any suspicious people at all. The strange man from the CCTV footage didn’t show himself, as if he knew that the woman he was looking for wasn’t here.

The white-haired demon was frustrated and angry because the night had been a disaster and he hadn’t achieved anything. The earlier pain in his heart was gone now, and he assumed that Minji had fallen asleep at this point. He couldn’t explain what exactly had triggered her strange reaction to his kiss. It puzzled him since they had kissed before and she never complained about it. However, this time she had been close to a panic attack, and he had felt helpless when it happened. He hated not being in control of a situation.

Taking a decision he might come to regret later, he left the park area and headed to Läy’s home that was located not too far from his workplace. Baëkhyun rang the doorbell a thousand times until the other demon finally opened, his hair messy and eyes filled with annoyance. A low growl left his throat at the sight of Baëkhyun on his doorstep.

“What are you doing here? It’s 4 am!”

“Not like you need any sleep. You’re a demon, remember?” Baëkhyun answered and simply walked past him into his flat without caring to wait for an invitation. Läy stared after him and shook his head in disbelief at his rude attitude, not that he was used to anything else from him. He closed the front door and walked after him into the kitchen, where he leaned against the counter. Baëkhyun came to stand in front of the window and glanced outside at the dark cityscape that was illuminated by faint light. The flat was high above the ground and allowed a majestic view of Seoul, but he could care less about that right now.

“I want to ask something,” the demon said.

“Then go ahead,” Läy grumbled and folded his arms.

“Who exactly is Dongmin and how is he connected to Minji?” he asked without turning around to look at the other demon. Läy had to swallow at the unexpected question, his eyes widening considerably, flashing neon green.

“Where have you heard that name?” he growled lowly.

“She told me.”

“She wouldn’t just throw that name at you randomly. What did you do?” Läy asked persistently, and Baëkhyun’s annoyance grew.

“I kissed her and she suddenly started to cry.”

“You… you did _what_!?” Läy sputtered, eyes going wide. “Why? No, wait, I don’t want to know. Did you force her into it?” The demon was livid now, his magic becoming visible in the form of greenish streaks that swirled around his form.

“Who do you take me for? Of course not! I may be a demon, but I value my dignity,” Baëkhyun snapped, finally turning around to meet his eyes. His lips formed a thin line and he leaned his back against the window.

Läy narrowed his eyes at him, not yet convinced. “Did you harm her in any way? Hit her?” he asked with a steely tone that was cold as ice.

“No, I did not,” Baëkhyun hissed, his temper getting the best of him.

“You know as well as I do that you’re not exactly the gentlest demon,” Läy grumbled. “Her ex was an abusive bastard. He often hit and cornered her whenever he got angry or when she did something he didn’t approve of… whatever you did, it must have triggered her fear somehow. She probably felt trapped.”

“If you knew that, why haven’t you killed the bastard?” Baëkhyun yelled, seething in anger.

“Because it happened before I got to know her and I have no idea where he is now. They had already broken up when she began to work for me and she only revealed it to me much later,” Läy explained, scowling deeply. “This is why I told you to be careful with her, you dumb demon. Just hold yourself back for once.”

Baëkhyun grumbled something under his breath, not wanting to admit that this was his fault. He didn’t stay with Läy for long after that revelation and opted to walk home instead. He relished the fresh morning air, and watched the sun rising over the city. The shadows of the night disappeared, and some of the creatures roaming the streets vanished with it.

Entering the flat, he discarded his shoes and jacket, walking into the living room where the light was still on. His eyes fell on the sofa and he spotted Minji laying next to the demon cat. They were both asleep, but the cat stirred when it sensed him, opening its eyes to peer at him cautiously. His lips twitched. Taking a blanket from the end of the sofa, he draped it over them and snapped his fingers to kill the lights.

* * *

The next day started rather slowly for Minji. She didn’t wake up until it was almost noon. Only when she heard her smartphone make a noise after receiving a text, she opened her eyes and checked the time. The sleepy woman looked around in the dark living room, seeing that the curtains were drawn. She never did that. “Huh, what’s going on?” she mumbled and rubbed her eyes. Mochi stuck its head out from under the blanket and meowed at her, its body glowing in the dark.

“You should have woken me up, lazy kitty,” she said, but it just yawned at her.

Minji got up and entered the bathroom to take a shower, putting on a new set of clothes afterwards before walking in her bedroom to glance outside. It was a sunny day, perfect for going outside, but she didn’t know if she was in the mood, yesterday’s events weighing heavily on her mind. “Maybe… I should meet my friends… haven’t seen them in a week or longer,” she thought and walked in the kitchen where she found Baëkhyun.

“Good morning,” she mumbled, trudging to the coffee machine and starting it.

“Hello,” he said, not looking at her while he sat at the table, resting his chin on his hand.

“Did you learn anything new?” Minji asked when he didn’t say anything more.

“Not what I wanted.”

“What do you mean?” she asked and looked over her shoulder at him.

“Forget it,” he said repellently, leaning back in his chair. “That creep wasn’t around, I couldn’t find him even though I was sure he would reappear.”

“Maybe he’s not interested in men,” Minji commented.

“Oh, shut up.”

She took her coffee cup in her hands and put it on the kitchen table, getting a bowl for her cornflakes and some milk from the fridge. “Do you want something too?” she asked.

“No,” he said. He was taciturn this morning, Minji couldn’t help but notice. There was something in his expression she couldn’t quite decipher, and the caution in his eyes when he regarded her was new. He had always known that she was a fragile human, but he had never treated her like this before. Sitting down opposite him, she saw that his absentminded eyes were focused on the wooden surface of the kitchen table. He didn’t pay attention to her, getting lost in his thoughts.

Normally, he would have teased or mocked her by now, and started a senseless conversation about the superiority of demons. Minji preferred their usual bickering over this crushing silence. She knew that this was her fault. She should have had a better grip on herself, but her emotions had overwhelmed her, and she had been unable to suppress them.

Minji held back a deep sigh and began to eat, mindlessly scrolling through the social media feeds on her phone. It was a failing attempt to distract herself from this terrible silence. She took a sip of her coffee, burning her tongue on the hot beverage, but to her surprise, Baëkhyun didn’t comment on it, he didn’t even flinch. Frowning, Minji put her coffee cup down and lowered her head to stare at the table surface. If he kept acting like this, she would lose it within the next few hours. She needed to get out, have a change of scenery, and maybe someone else to talk to.

“I wanted to meet some friends later,” she said quietly, prompting him to finally look at her. His eyes were sky-blue but filled with an emotion she couldn’t describe.

“Fine.”

“Uh… okay?” she mumbled, not having expected such an easy answer. Shouldn’t he have objected because he hated humans, or at least whined and nagged at her? She bit her lip and looked down, her body slumping slightly.

“Bring the cat,” he suddenly said, causing her to snap her head up in confusion.

“Huh?”

“The cat,” he said and nodded his chin towards the cat demon that sat on the ground and watched them. “It’ll protect you.”

“Won’t you accompany me?” she asked, her eyes widening in confusion. How could this cute little kitty protect anyone? Then again, it could have another side to it that she hadn’t seen yet, if he deemed it strong enough to handle that task.

“No,” he replied, and suddenly she wasn’t so sure anymore if she really wanted to leave the house. After all, there was still that creep running around, and she didn’t want to risk getting on his radar again. _She would not go anywhere near Geumcheon_.

She sighed, sending a text to Jisoo and Chaeyoung, asking if they wanted to meet later today. It didn’t take long for them to answer her. They were both students in university and since they didn’t have any lectures or classes this afternoon, they agreed. Minji put the dishes in the dishwasher, leaving the kitchen with one last glance in Baëkhyun’s direction. He didn’t look at her, his eyes staring into space.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, what a chapter. I struggled writing this, you have no idea. I edited it so often I lost count and at one point I even considered cutting out the whole plotline with Dongmin, but I ultimately chose to leave it as it was. Life isnt all sunshine and rainbows, and since this isnt supposed to be an unrealistically cute romance fanfic, I kept the plotline just like I planned it. Besides, some of the following events would not make sense without it...
> 
> It was difficult to portray Minji's emotions and actions in this chapter. I tried my best, and I hope that you could understand why she acts the way she does. I will add more details about her past later on. What was even more tricky than describing Minji's thoughts and feelings was Baëkhyun's reaction to the entire thing. He's a difficult character to write, but I guess that's my own fault. LOL
> 
> As you probably could tell already, the story is going to get darker from here on. There will be angst, but there will also be fluff, cause I can't live without that. lol  
> Sky <3


	9. Kill the Lights

Being outside in this wonderful weather with the summer sun shining in her face improved Minji’s mood significantly. Mochi walked a few meters ahead of her, meowing as it chased after a smaller demon that had a bird-like body. Its three eyes were creeping Minji out, so she avoided to look at it and pretended it wasn’t there. The star on her wrist had stopped glowing as soon as she had left the house and now it looked like a regular tattoo, not standing out at all. Minji hadn’t bothered covering it up since it was getting annoying. She was relieved to be able to spend some time with her friends today after Baëkhyun had started acting coldly towards her. The tension in her flat had been stifling and hard to endure, so she was glad to be outside now.

Minji took the next subway train headed to the city and Mochi sat on her lap when she was inside, nobody of the other people noticing the demon. When she reached her destination, they left the train and walked up the stairs to a big crowded square. She was in Myeongdong now and she already spotted her two friends waiting for her.

“Hello Minji, long time no see,” Jisoo said and enveloped her in a hug.

“We haven’t met in ages!” Minji replied, embracing Chaeyoung next. “Do you want to get some ice cream?”

“Sure, sounds good,” Jisoo smiled and the three walked towards a busy shopping street, talking animatedly and catching up on everything that had happened in the past week. Minji glossed over certain supernatural details, but she did mention that she had a new housemate, since she assumed that they would see him sooner or later anyways.

They sat down in an ice cream parlor and ordered ice cream, Minji enjoying the bubbly atmosphere her friends always were surrounded in. Mochi lingered at her feet, ultimately laying down to sleep for a while. Minji could have sworn that she saw Jisoo glance at it a few times, and she wondered if she was also able to see it, considering she had witch blood in her veins.

“Want to tell us more about this new housemate? That came out of nowhere,” Chaeyoung said curiously, leaning forward in her seat. She twirled a lock of her dark hair around her finger, her eyes never leaving Minji.

“Well, he’s a bit grumpy, not really what you would expect.”

“Did you say _he_?” Jisoo asked, gaping at her with an open mouth. “Who exactly are you talking about?” The worry in her eyes was not lost on Minji who tried her best to ignore it. The sight made her stomach churn.

“It was a spur of the moment decision to let him… uh… move in,” Minji explained, not really giving them any details which they didn’t like.

“Does this mysterious guy have a name?” Chaeyoung asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, it’s Baëkhyun,” Minji answered, seeing Jisoo’s eyes widen considerably. She almost choked on her ice cream and coughed.

“Don’t eat all the ice cream in one go,” Chaeyoung scolded, but Jisoo didn’t even hear her.

“Where did this _Baëkhyun_ come from all of a sudden?” Jisoo asked, horror flashing through her eyes.

“I think you already know,” Minji answered quietly, moving her wrist so the star on it was visible. It was the very same that Jisoo had drawn on the summoning circle and she recognized it immediately.

“Oh no,” she breathed. She held her hand over her mouth, unable to tear her eyes away from the mark. “M-Minji, why didn’t you say anything sooner? H-How did this even… I don’t… I’m so sorry!” Her stuttering didn’t make sense to Chaeyoung who glanced at her like she had lost it. Minji on the other hand knew exactly what was going on.

“I never thought this would actually work! I’m not even a real witch yet! Shit, shit, shit! I need to reverse it somehow,” she rambled nervously, her voice going quieter and quieter until Minji barely heard it. “So that’s why my grandma suddenly stopped teaching me.”

“She didn’t even tell you the reason?” Minji asked in disbelief, creasing her forehead.

“No, she just said I made an unforgivable mistake and that she couldn’t go on teaching me. Now I know why she kept mentioning demons so often lately… she’s been searching through lots of spell books about bonds, but I had no idea why,” Jisoo said, gritting her teeth. Minji read crushing guilt in her gaze. “Please tell me he didn’t hurt you.”

“No, he’s just annoying sometimes. You don’t need to worry about him. He may be a demon, but he’s not all bad,” Minji said, sighing. She didn’t blame her friend for anything that happened. It had been a stupid idea to try and summon a demon, but she saw it more as an accident than anything else. “I’m not mad at you.”

“But I… I deserve all your anger,” Jisoo mumbled dejectedly. “It looks like my untrained magic went out of control completely. I didn’t even try a bonding spell, it was supposed to be just a normal summoning spell!”

“Okay you two weirdos, what the heck is going on?” Chaeyoung cut in and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She regarded her friends with raised eyebrows, not getting what they were talking about. “What’s your problem with her housemate, Jisoo?”

“Oh, umm… we were just… uh…” Jisoo stuttered, glancing at Minji desperately, who had to think of a believable excuse really fast. “We were playing a prank on you,” she said, smiling tensely. She should have come up with something better than that!

“A _prank_. Do you expect me to believe that?” Chaeyoung said.

“Well, you know how crazy Jisoo is about demons and stuff, so…” Minji tried to explain in an attempt to make it sound more logical. Chaeyoung didn’t seem convinced, but she let it go.

“I’m keeping an eye on you, Jisoo and Minji.”

Jisoo laughed nervously and went back to eating her ice cream, relieved when Chaeyoung went on to talk about a different topic, rambling about one of her most hated professors in university. Minji sighed, glad that she hadn’t seen through them. Then again, who would believe in witchcraft and demons from one second to the next? She could tell that Jisoo wasn’t really listening anymore and the guilty frown bothered Minji. In an effort to cheer her up, she gestured for Mochi to jump on her lap. The glowing demon gained Jisoo’s attention when it climbed on the table and stuck its nose into her empty ice cream bowl, licking the remains off. The woman smiled at the sight, petting it in a way that didn’t seem all too suspicious to Chaeyoung who didn’t see it.

“Do you have a new pet?” Jisoo asked, prompting Minji to smile and nod.

“Huh, really?” Chaeyoung said, surprised.

“It’s a cat called Mochi,” Minji replied. “I haven’t had it for long, though.”

“You should show me some time,” Chaeyoung grinned, and Minji held back a cringe.

“M-Maybe,” she said and laughed nervously.

The three friends left the ice cream parlor soon after, strolling down the streets of Seoul. Since the area was crowded, they needed to be careful not to lose each other in the chaos.

“By the way, some of our fellow students in university had a funny idea for the weekend,” Chaeyoung said suddenly, gaining Minji’s interest, while Jisoo’s face was filled with reluctance and caution.

“Chaeyoung, I’m not sure if Minji wants this right now,” she said, glaring at her friend who didn’t get the message.

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, it’s going to be fun! A friend of mine recently found this old abandoned property in the middle of the woods and she asked if we were up for a little dare. She wants to visit it in the middle of the night,” Chaeyoung explained with too much enthusiasm in Minji’s opinion. “You know, for a ghost hunt.”

Minji visibly shuddered and was quick to decline. “No thanks,” she said through gritted teeth, exchanging a glance with Jisoo who shared her opinion.

“See, I told you,” she said, earning a dark look from Chaeyoung. “Neither me nor Minji will accompany you, and I really advise you to reconsider this. It’s dangerous to enter an old building at night. It might collapse… and maybe you will experience something terrible.”

“You two are such killjoys,” Chaeyoung sighed, but she accepted their decision.

* * *

It was past 9 pm when they decided to go home and separated at an intersection, each of them heading in a different direction.

The walk back to the subway station was spent in silence since Mochi obviously couldn’t talk to Minji. The night was cool, and the summer dress she wore did little to protect her from the cold wind. She hugged herself, shivering a bit and quickened her steps. If she hurried a little, she would reach the station within the next ten minutes or so.

Suddenly, she felt a pulse coming from the mark and turned her wrist to look at it. It still appeared like a regular tattoo, but the way it ached wasn’t a good sign. Minji straightened her back and looked around, trying to see if anyone was nearby, but it was too dark to tell. She could have sworn she heard footsteps following her. Gripped by fear, she walked even faster, Mochi next to her growling distortedly. She had never heard such a terrifying sound from the cat.

Minji was taken by surprise when the demon changed its form, growing bigger. Now it wasn’t a little kitty anymore, it resembled a cheetah, its back being level with Minji’s thigh. Its body was still translucent and shimmering golden, but the fangs had elongated, and the eyes looked bloodthirsty. She shivered, knowing that something was very wrong right now. Looking behind her in the same direction the demon was staring, she spotted the dark outline of a person following her.

Cursing, she ran to the subway station, hoping to catch the next train so she could get away. Mochi followed her closely, all the while growling lowly. Minji was scared, but she knew that it wouldn’t leave her hanging if that creep behind her decided to hurt her. Nonetheless, she didn’t take chances and ran even faster than before, breathing unevenly in panic. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest as fear streamed through her. She was convinced that the person following her was the very same person that was responsible for the kidnappings and the last thing she wanted was to become one of his victims too. She cursed Baëkhyun for leaving her alone. What had he been thinking?

She took the stairs leading underground to the subway station and hurried on. Only few people were around, and they hardly paid attention to her, not noticing the fear in her eyes. Minji couldn’t believe her luck when a train arrived just in time for her to get on. She jumped in, the doors closing behind her. With heaving shoulders, she stared out the window, keeping an eye on the stairs to see the man walk down slowly and without a care. It almost seemed like he was mocking her with the way he was staring. His face was shrouded in darkness, but his red eyes were clearly looking at her. As the train drove off, she lost sight of him, and the pulses of her mark stopped.

He really was gone now. Letting out a breath, she sat down and hid her face in her hands, almost losing her nerves. Mochi, now back in its usual small form, jumped on her lap and purred quietly, attempting to comfort her. She sighed and petted its back. “Thank you,” she uttered, not sure if the demon even understood human language.

After twenty endlessly long minutes, she left the train to walk home. When Minji _finally_ reached her apartment building, she climbed up the stairs and unlocked her door, entering her flat. Inside, she was greeted by the sight of Baëkhyun restlessly walking back and forth in the living room, turning around when he heard her. She saw red in his eyes, but it vanished in a blink. “Good job, demon,” he muttered directed at the cat that looked at him briefly before scurrying off to the bedroom.

“He followed me to the subway station. I saw him, he wasn’t trying to hide at all,” she explained nervously. “I wasn’t even anywhere near Geumcheon, why did he suddenly change his habit?”

“How should I know?” Baëkhyun replied aggressively, regret flickering through his eyes when he saw her flinch. He ran his hand through his hair and cursed. “Fuck! If only I had known he would show himself…”

“It’s too late, he’s gone now,” she mumbled, aware that this could have ended differently if the demon had accompanied her and judging by the pissed-off look on his face, he knew it too. “And he seems to… target me, even going as far as to leave Geumcheon for the sake of finding me. This is horrifying,” she said in a whisper and visibly shuddered. It was hard for her to admit her fear to him since she expected him to mock her again, but he didn’t do anything of the sort.

His silence stretched on, prompting her to glance up at him. He was glaring at the ground, his eyes dark with frustration and anger. “No matter what I do, it’s always wrong,” he muttered so lowly she barely heard him. His tone was resentful and enraged, his posture tense. Faint light radiated from his clenched fist. She was caught off guard when she suddenly felt pain in her heart that wasn’t her own. It was a foreign feeling, one that she had no control over. This had never happened before and until now she had been convinced that demons weren’t even able to experience psychological pain. She had seen them as ruthless creatures that were not capable of feeling remorse and anguish.

She walked closer with slow steps and came to a halt in front of him. Reluctantly, she stretched out her arm and enclosed his glowing fist with her hands. Oddly, the light didn’t hurt her, but felt warm. “That is not true,” she said, keeping her eyes down, seeing how his fist opened and the light faded. She interlocked her fingers with his and raised her head to look at him, finding him staring at her.

“Baëkhyun, I think we should talk about what happened yesterday.”

“We don’t have to,” he said, tilting his head. “I shouldn’t have kissed you in the first place, it was uncalled for.”

“Well, I-I didn’t mind the kiss,” she admitted shyly, looking at their interlaced hands. “It’s just that I sometimes have a problem with being close to someone when I’m trapped and can’t move. It triggers something in my mind and makes me remember certain… things. It really wasn’t your fault, you couldn’t have known.”

“You must have experienced something horrible,” he replied lowly, recalling what he had heard from Läy, and his hold on her hand tightened. “Why don’t you tell me where your ex lives, hm? I’d love to pay him a little visit.” The cold tone of his voice sent shivers down her spine. It promised pain and bloodshed.

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” she stuttered, glancing at his face to see that red had returned to his iris, glowing ominously. He didn’t look at her, glaring into space.

“Oh, but I do. Tickets to hell are always free when they’re delivered by me,” he said and directed his gaze back to her. “I think he deserves it.”

“I don’t know where he lives now, if he’s still in Seoul or not. I haven’t seen him in years,” Minji answered quietly, the sole thought of Dongmin causing dread to rise within her, but it wasn’t as strong as it had been yesterday.

“That’s a shame,” Baëkhyun answered annoyedly, clicking his tongue. “Though if I ever meet him in the future, I’m going to make sure it’ll be the _best_ day of his life.”

He smirked sinisterly, radiating malicious joy. She had seen this expression on him too often already and usually didn’t like it, but now she was glad to see it since she preferred it over the cold look he had worn this morning. He seemed to be back to his normal self which relieved her immensely.

* * *

The next morning, Minji got another bad surprise when Yixing called her to tell her that one more woman had vanished, and this time it had happened in Myeongdong. _What a coincidence._

“That bastard doesn’t give up,” Baëkhyun growled, the lamp in the kitchen flickering in response to his rage. “This is clearly a threat. I’m not letting myself be challenged by this coward… enough is enough.”

“We need to think of a way to catch him. He has to be stopped before even more people are pulled into this mess,” she sighed, putting her hand to her chin. “Don’t you have an amazing demonic superpower that could help?” She regarded him with hopeful eyes, prompting him to groan.

“I have many powers, but none of them would help finding him,” he said annoyedly, not liking the fact that he couldn’t do anything.

“Shame. And here I thought you were a strong demon,” she answered, intending to tease him a bit. He totally fell for it.

His eyes darkened and he scowled. “I am strong! My power is unrivaled!” he shouted, getting all worked up over it which amused Minji to no end. “A puny human wouldn’t understand.” He crossed his arms, a sulky expression appearing on his face.

“I know, I was just messing with you,” she grinned. “You’re the strongest.”

His ears turned red. The sight was surprisingly endearing, and the smile on Minji’s lips brightened. “Humans are so weird,” he grumbled. “And I got stuck with the weirdest.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she replied lightly.

“It was an insult,” he grumbled, crossing his arms and avoiding her stare expertly. She narrowed her eyes and studied him, noticing something that amused her.

“Are you blushing, demon?” she giggled, seeing his eyes widen.

“I am not blushing!” he yelled, his chain slipping because he snapped his head around too fast.

“Yes, you are,” she sang.

“No, I am not! Shouldn’t you focus on the case instead of talking shit?” he growled. She guessed that he would have ripped her head off by now, had she been anyone else. He was right though, she shouldn’t fool around with him, there were more important things to talk about right now.

“That’s true, I’m sorry,” she answered and the smile faded, her brow furrowing in worry. “Do you think we could catch him somehow? Set a trap?”

“What kind of trap?”

“I don’t know, that’s the problem. We would have to lure him out, but…” she trailed off as a thought struck her. She didn’t like it but looking at his face told her he had the same idea.

* * *

“This is terrible,” she thought to herself as she stood in the white pavilion located in the park where three women had previously disappeared. The sky above her was darkening rapidly now that the sun had vanished behind the horizon. A streetlamp lit the area around her, but its dim light was hardly enough to calm Minji down. The dark trees surrounding the pavilion were rustling in the slight breeze and every time she heard a noise, her pulse skyrocketed. She would have preferred being at home on her sofa, reading a book while drinking a cup of hot chocolate. Maybe Mochi would cuddle with her. But no, she was in the creepy dark park where three women had vanished into thin air…

Minji didn’t like this, but she knew it was the only way to catch the bastard. She didn’t want to wait forever until that creep found a chance to surprise her when she least expected it. She much rather picked the time and place of their encounter herself. It was obvious that he would show up here at some point during the night.

Baëkhyun kept himself hidden nearby, forcing the light to vanish around him which resulted in him becoming one with the darkness. Minji couldn’t see him, but the slight tingling of her mark told her he was near. She took deep breaths, and the longer she just stood there and waited, the more nervous she became. She hated the thought of offering herself as bait to some random creature.

It was past 10 pm now and the park was completely empty. After the crimes had occurred here, people had started to avoid it which was the smartest thing to do. Another ten long and draining minutes passed until something happened. Footsteps neared her, the noises of the gravel loud in her ears. Her heart was pounding and she almost lost it when a man dressed in black stepped into the light, walking up the steps to the pavilion. He was pale, his face looking ashen, and his eyes glowed bright red when he looked at her.

“We finally meet,” he smiled, showing sharp fangs that revealed his true nature. “I was hoping to speak to you, but you were always running from me.”

“What did you do to the other women?” Minji asked immediately, knowing that she had to find out.

“What do you mean?” he said, tilting his head.

“The women you abducted! Don’t play dumb!”

“Are you trying to play detective, human? I know that your demon is hiding over there. I can smell him,” the vampire grinned, and then he moved so fast that his form blurred. Harshly grabbing her wrist, he pulled her close and that was the moment she panicked. Ice cold fear seeped into her heart, petrifying her.

“Humans with your blood type taste the best, did you know that?” he smirked, licking his lips. Minji shuddered in revulsion, regretting the decision to come here with every fiber of her being. She hadn’t known that they were dealing with a vampire, and she hadn’t known that they were so damn fast.

“If you don’t move away from her _now_ , you are dead,” she heard Baëkhyun’s voice growl. She saw him standing at the steps leading to the pavilion, his eyes bloodred, a darker and more sinister shade than that of the vampire.

“Do you think you can intimidate me?” the vampire retorted smugly, gripping her neck with one hand to forcefully tilt her chin up. “A demon won’t stop me.”

“Baëkhyun, now would be the _perfect_ time to do something!” she yelled exasperatedly. Cold fingers touched her skin, giving her a good idea of what had happened to the other women who had been unfortunate enough to meet him. He must have drained them completely.

“Let her go!” Baëkhyun spat and narrowed his eyes when the vampire neared her neck with his fangs. The demon saw red, and the light bent to his will. A beam as bright as lightning shot towards the vampire, striking him in the back. He cursed, letting Minji go who moved away from him quickly. Baëkhyun strode up the steps and stood in between the vampire and Minji, light radiating from his hands as he glowered at him. The vampire could barely stand, his jacket completely ripped and singed.

Minji had never witnessed the demon using his magic like this, and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t scared. The raw power of the light was terrifying—she would have never expected that such a pure element could cause so much damage, and to a supernatural being no less.

“Where are the women?” Baëkhyun repeated her question from earlier. His posture was relaxed, and to Minji it looked like he was bored. He put his hands in the pockets of his jeans and raised his chin, looking down at the vampire that struggled to get up.

“Are you not answering me?” Baëkhyun asked, his tone dripping with evil glee. The corners of his lips quirked up. He was already looking forward to what was about to come. Without even lifting a finger, he commanded light to strike the vampire again and again. It flashed before Minji’s eyes, blinding her until she had to look away. She heard the vampire curse and scream until he gave up.

“I will tell you. S-Stop this,” he pleaded, panting in exhaustion. His body was severely damaged, his vampiric strength already beginning to heal him, but it took too long. He didn’t get a chance to retaliate. “Y-You are a sick bastard,” he swore, glaring at Baëkhyun who was still grinning madly.

“Go on, I’m listening,” he drawled, his voice dropping until it sounded terrifying in Minji’s ears.

“T-The women a-are all dead,” he forced out, coughing up blood. “I left their bodies in an abandoned w-warehouse not far from here. It’s only… three streets down.”

Minji shuddered, hugging her own body. She moved back until she hit the railing of the pavilion, her wide eyes never leaving the bloodthirsty monster on the ground. She had already feared that this had happened, but finding out the truth was still painful when she thought about all the families she had met in her efforts to find the women. That all help was too late for them hurt—it shattered her heart. She couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.

“Humans are so weak,” the vampire mocked and stared at her without hiding his cruel joy. “Was that too much for you to handle?”

“Having empathy doesn’t make me weak,” she growled, wiping her eyes. “I pity you for being unable to understand something so simple.”

The vampire sneered at her and her anger rose. However, she wasn’t the only one who was furious at him, and he was rewarded with a hard kick to his stomach.

“Shut the fuck up, leech,” Baëkhyun snapped, smirking when he saw the vampire hiss in pain, clutching his stomach. “You have sinned and sinners got to hell,” he said. He sounded elated at the thought of sending him there, and when the vampire stared at him in horror, he smirked even wider.

“I know who of us has committed more sins and it isn’t me,” the vampire forced out, narrowing his red eyes at Baëkhyun.

“Could be true. I’ve lost count by now,” Baëkhyun smiled proudly, and Minji cringed. “I’m giving you a special offer because I’m feeling generous today. Would you like me to send you to hell in person? I know an exceptionally warm place in purgatory that I highly recommend.” He spoke with a sickeningly sweet tone, but his eyes were cold as ice. There was a tinge of sadism hidden in his words, revealing his demonic nature.

“F-Fuck you,” the vampire growled, his red eyes focusing on Minji. “Human, you will die. Even if I’m not the one to do it, someone el...”

He received another harsh kick to the ribs, and one of them cracked. “Did I allow you to speak to her? I don’t think so,” Baëkhyun spat. He grabbed the front of the vampire’s jacket and lifted him up like he weighed nothing. “I’ve decided what I’ll do with you. Purgatory sounds nice.”

Minji’s eyes widened when he did a weird movement with his left arm, a strange reddish light radiating from his open palm. He threw her a look over his shoulder. “Stay here, I’ll be back in a few minutes. This won’t take long.”

Right in front of her eyes, he opened a portal. It looked like a tear in space, she couldn’t explain how that was even possible, but it seemed to lead straight to hell. She stared into it and was filled with morbid fascination at what she saw. The area in there was black like the night, but flames lit up the darkness and smoke filled the air. Baëkhyun stepped through the tear, dragging the vampire along with him before the tear disappeared like it had never been there. Minji stumbled back and held on to the railing of the pavilion, her knees getting weak. Had she just… gotten a glimpse of hell itself?

* * *

“You are really scary, you know that?”

“Sure, I get that all the time,” he smirked, brushing white strands of hair away from his eyes before he flicked some ash from his clothes. He hadn’t lied when he said he would be back within a few minutes. Just now, he had opened another strange portal and jumped out like it was completely normal.

She rolled her eyes at his answer and sighed deeply. “Why does that not surprise me?”

They left the pavilion and walked over the gravel path, him being nice enough to light up the surrounding area so they could at least see where they were going. Minji had to admit that his ability was rather useful… Nonetheless, she found it disturbing what he had done to the vampire using it.

“Where is he now?” she asked reluctantly, keeping her eyes on the path in front of them, pointedly ignoring the weird demon that hovered under a tree.

“In a warm and cozy part of purgatory, where the flames are rather hot,” he grinned gleefully.

“Ugh, seriously, why are you like this?” she said under her breath, shivering.

“I’m just doing my job.”

“Yeah, great,” she replied sarcastically before she turned serious, creasing her brow. “What should we do now? We found the location of the bodies, but since the murderer is out of the picture… what should we tell the police?”

“If you tell them he was sent to hell by a demon, they will surely believe you,” he remarked, voice dripping with sarcasm. “You should give them an anonymous tip about the warehouse with the bodies… and concerning the vampire, well… he got what he deserved. They won’t ever be able to link him to the murders, but at least he’s taken care of.”

He had a point, of course, but it still irked her that she couldn’t tell the police what had really happened. The poor families of the victims would never know what happened to their loved ones either. That was what hurt Minji the most. They would have to get over their loss without ever finding out the truth.

“I feel sorry for the families,” she said when she felt his gaze lingering on her.

“Try to see it this way: If they found out that vampires and other supernatural beings really existed, it wouldn’t be better. It would be worse,” he said calmly. “You’d be naïve to expect every story to end happily.”

“That’s true,” she sighed as they reached the end of the park and walked down the street to her car. She wouldn’t ever visit this place again.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The duality of Baëkhyun's personality in this fanfic is something else, but he's really fun to write!  
> I tried to focus on the vampire in this chapter, but couldnt resist adding a little bit of fluff to the middle part. Ooooops. :D This concludes the plotline with the vampire.  
> Something interesting is going to happen soon and I already hinted at it (subtly). Any idea what it could be? ;D
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> Sky


	10. I'll raise Hell

The rest of the week passed in a blur. Minji told Yixing about what had happened, and he forwarded the information she had gathered to the police, not mentioning the vampire. She didn’t know how the relatives of the victims reacted to the bad news, but she could imagine that they were shattered. Her mood was rather bad for days, and she tried to distract herself with work. She was glad when Yixing gave her various tasks, like interviewing a CEO that had made a name for herself and writing about a popular street food festival. Baëkhyun had tagged along when she had visited the festival and to her surprise, he seemed to like the food that he ate. She kept teasing him about it since he had always been sure he wouldn’t like it.

On Friday evening, she planned to meet Jangmi and Sehůn who wanted to visit their favorite Chinese restaurant with her and Baëkhyun. Since the demon had become interested in human food after he had refused to try it for so long, she didn’t have to convince him to join them.

Minji stood in front of the bathroom mirror, making an elaborate braid and adding a cute butterfly clip to it. Since Jangmi had told her that the restaurant she had picked was a fancy one, Minji put on a black cocktail dress for the evening. She applied make-up, using lipstick and mascara, as well as silver eye shadow. As she looked in the mirror, she saw Baëkhyun sneaking up on her from behind. He wore a black dress shirt and equally black pants which didn’t surprise her at all. The demon had a preference for dark shades and hardly ever wore other colors.

“I can see you creeping up on me, demon,” she commented with a grin, meeting his eyes in the mirror. He curled his lips and muttered something under his breath.

“What are you doing, I want to leave!” he grumbled, pulling a face. “You look fine, you don’t need make-up.”

She froze and stared at him through the mirror, her eyes going wide. “Did you… did you just…? Was that a compliment?!” She blushed when she saw him smirk devilishly. He walked closer until he stood right behind her and reached around her to steal her make-up brush from her hand.

“That’s enough,” he whispered teasingly in her ear, causing her heart to stutter. “We’re leaving now.” He took her hand and pulled her after him. She was too astonished to fight him or complain about it and stared at his back with wide eyes. The red on her cheeks was still very easy to see.

She quickly put on a pair of high heels before Baëkhyun managed to pull her out the door barefooted. He was ridiculously impatient yet didn’t admit that he looked forward to the food. They descended the stairs and left the building, walking down the street. The sky above them darkened quickly until the stars became visible.

“Hey, demon?”

“What is it, human?”

“Are you friends with Sehůn or is he just an acquaintance?” she asked curiously.

He sighed. “I guess you could call him a friend. I’ve known him for a few centuries.”

“How old are you?!” she said and stared at him in disbelief.

“Let’s just say I am rather experienced,” he said and sent her a flirtatious wink that easily got her flustered.

“I-I wasn’t asking about _that_ , you pervert.”

“Why am I the pervert now? It’s you who has the dirty mind here,” he smirked, glancing at her face to see her pouting.

“I’m innocent.”

“Are you?” he drawled, leaning closer. “I wonder for how long.”

“Damnit, Baëkhyun! Stop!” she nagged and quickened her steps to leave him behind. She heard him chuckle lowly, and he caught up easily. Her heels clicked on the asphalt as she walked down the steps to the subway station, her eyes grazing a low-class demon that sat half-hidden behind a corner. It had four eyes that were all focused on her and Baëkhyun and it looked _creepy_. She unconsciously inched closer to him and his lips twitched in amusement, but he didn’t comment on it.

They arrived at the China restaurant about twenty minutes later, seeing Sehůn and Jangmi waiting outside for them. They both wore elegant clothing; and Jangmi even put a little flower in her violet hair. 

“Hi! It’s great to see you!” Jangmi smiled

“I’ve already missed you,” Minji answered happily, hugging the young witch. Sehůn smiled at their exchange while Baëkhyun simply rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath. They entered the restaurant, Minji gazing around curiously. It looked expensive and was lavishly furnished. Many other people were here already, so it was good that they had a reservation. A waiter led them to a table outside on the balcony that allowed a beautiful view of Seoul.

Minji walked to the handrail and let her eyes move over the scenery, taking in all the tiny sparkling lights everywhere. It was a gorgeous sight, and she enjoyed it. She stood there for a while until she tore her eyes away to sit down with the others. They were already waiting for her, Sehůn laughing amusedly.

“It’s amazing here, isn’t it?” he said. “Just wait until you’ve tried the food!”

“I take it you come here often?”

“Yeah, we do and it’s one hundred percent Sehůn’s fault,” Jangmi giggled and nudged him playfully.

“Hey, don’t act like you didn’t beg to come here again!” he shot back.

“Sehůn, you’re making me look like a glutton in front of them!”

“But you are a glutton!”

“That’s literally the last thing you should ever say to your girlfriend,” she complained, but the tiny smirk on her lips revealed that she wasn’t mad at all. Minji assumed that they teased each other often, judging by their carefree behavior around each other.

The four of them soon ordered their food, Baëkhyun having trouble deciding on what he wanted until he ultimately ended up choosing something random.

“So, anything new?” Jangmi asked when the waiter had left and Minji shook her head. She had already told her about the vampire, and other than that, nothing noteworthy had happened.

“Not really… as you can see, we’re still stuck together. No clue how to break the bond,” Minji sighed with a glance at Baëkhyun who regarded her with narrowed eyes.

“It has only been a few weeks. That doesn’t mean it’s irreversible,” Baëkhyun countered. “We are going to find a way out of this.”

“I haven’t heard anything either, even though I’ve asked around… it ended with people suspecting that I want to break up with Sehůn which couldn’t be farther from the truth,” Jangmi said, rolling her eyes exasperatedly. “As a witch, I can only tell you one thing. This kind of spell is complicated, so it hypothetically would take a lot of effort to break it. I’m assuming it cannot be done without a sacrifice.”

Minji gulped seeing her dark expression. “What kind of… sacrifice?” she asked with great reluctance.

“A blood sacrifice,” Jangmi said seriously. “But I’m not too sure since this includes the kind of dark magic that I would never use.”

“I see no problem with killing someone,” Baëkhyun said without hesitation.

“But I do! Don’t even consider it,” Minji hissed and glared at him.

“Yeah, don’t. You would need to find a witch that uses blood magic first, and they are usually quite cunning, making shady deals that end in disaster,” Jangmi warned.

“You could always accept your situation,” Sehůn chimed in, draping an arm around Jangmi’s shoulders. “It isn’t so bad to be with Minji, or is it, Baëkhyun?”

The light demon sighed and put his chin in his hand. “So far, I’ve nearly lost my mind a few times,” he said exasperatedly. “She is so clumsy! One time she fell over the coffee table, another time she hit her toe against the door, and yet another time she burned her hands on scalding hot tea. I wonder how she managed to survive for 24 years!” He got worked up over it, prompting Sehůn to grin. Minji on the other hand shot him a dark look.

“These things happen, it’s no big deal,” she grumbled.

“It is! I’ve drawn the short straw here. Humans feel pain immediately, it’s ridiculous. Demons on the other hand… you could shoot me and I’d barely notice,” he said and Minji realized that she had never felt any physical pain from him before. He was right, he had drawn the short straw.

“I’m sorry, I’ll try to have less accidents from now on,” she said apologetically.

“That doesn’t even make sense,” he replied, a faint smirk appearing on his lips.

“You’re right, the shared pain is a problem,” Sehůn sighed. “Jangmi sometimes cuts herself by accident when she makes food. Imagine how annoying it is for me to feel the stinging all the time.”

“Hey, next time you’re cooking!”

“I don’t think that would end well,” Sehůn said, laughing nervously.

“You don’t believe it, Minji, but he set the pan on fire one time,” Jangmi giggled.

Minji’s mouth dropped wide open. “Huh? Then you better keep him far away from the stove,” she commented amusedly. “Let him cut vegetables or something.”

“I always knew that you are an idiot, Sehůn,” Baëkhyun mocked, his lips curling into a condescending smirk. Sehůn grimaced.

“Don’t act like you know how to cook!”

“Oh, but he does,” Minji replied. “He made my favorite dish for me, and it was great.”

Jangmi and Sehůn looked downright flabbergasted at this unexpected revelation, their eyes widening comically. Baëkhyun raised his chin and looked so smug that Minji couldn’t hold in a smile.

“See, there you have it. I’m better at this than you, Sehůn.” The haughty demon rubbed it right into his friend’s face who could only roll his eyes at him.

“Typical,” he grumbled.

“He’s just stating the obvious, sweetheart,” Jangmi grinned.

Minji had a lot of fun that evening, the bickering between the two demons adding to her amusement. Time passed by quickly, and when they had finished their food and drinks, they decided to leave since it was already past 12 am.

“Thank you so much for meeting up,” Jangmi said when they stood at the entrance of the building, about to separate.

“It was fun, we should do it again,” Minji replied, and a quick glance in Baëkhyun’s direction told her that he wasn’t opposed either. “Get home safe, see you!”

“You too! Till next time,” Sehůn replied before he and Jangmi walked off, soon disappearing around the next street corner.

“My feet are hurting thanks to those stupid heels,” Minji complained as soon as they were out of earshot.

“I know,” Baëkhyun replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“You could always carry me.”

“I’m not your servant, you lazy ass. Walk yourself.”

“You would do yourself a favor, though.”

He sighed deeply and shot her a dark glare. “Why did you even pick heels?”

“Because I can’t wear a dress with sneakers, isn’t that obvious? I wanted to look _pretty_.”

“Who cares?”

“I do! Besides, you are the last person who should complain about my fashion choices, Mr. I-wear-a-chain-on-my-face.”

“I know you love it. Admit it,” he said, eyeing her with a knowing glint in his blue eyes. She quickly avoided his piercing gaze.

“I don’t!”

“Are you sure?” He suddenly stopped, taking her wrist to halt her as well. His hand moved to her chin, gently but firmly tilting it up until she had to look into his eyes, but she just stared at him in silence. “You’re stubborn,” he sighed, letting her go and walking on. She stared after him with wide eyes before she caught up.

“What if I like it?” she mumbled, seeing him hiding a smirk.

“Maybe I should wear it more often,” he said huskily with a seductive tinge in his tone. She swallowed, biting her lower lip. Why was this man such a tease? If all demons were like this, she was in for a ride.

They took the next train that arrived. Not many people were around so late at night, and those that were looked shady. Not to mention, there were more demonic and ghostly creatures roaming the streets at night. Therefore, Minji was grateful that she wasn’t alone, especially after she spotted a huge snakelike demon that made her skin crawl with its disgusting appearance.

After roughly twenty minutes, they left the train at the station not far from her flat. Minji couldn’t wait to get rid of her stupid heels, at this point they were more than annoying. Judging by Baëkhyun’s pissed off face he thought the same. They walked through the subway station that was dimly lit and pretty much empty, safe for a group of drunks in a corner. When they reached the street, he let out another deep sigh.

“I don’t get why women wear those terrible shoes. Seriously.” Baëkhyun stopped and looked at her. “I’ll carry you, but only this once.”

She smiled triumphantly, and he bent down to put an arm around her back and one under her knees, lifting her up. Minji leaned against him and put her head on his shoulder, happy that in the end she got what she wanted.

“Thank you,” she smiled triumphantly, to which he only rolled his eyes.

“I’m doing this mostly for my own sake, you know?”

“It’s nice to have my own butler.”

“I’m going to drop you,” he said with a deadpan face, his grip on her loosening suddenly, so she clutched his shoulder tightly.

“No!”

“Just kidding.”

“Oh, you meanie,” she grumbled, hitting him in the chest.

He carried her to her doorstep and only let her down so she could unlock the door. Inside, she got rid of her shoes and put them away with a relieved sigh. “That’s better.”

She turned to look at him and found him standing closer than expected, staring at her with a dark emotion swirling through his blue eyes. Minji was taken by surprise, but she didn’t move away, instead held her breath to see what he would do. Baëkhyun glanced at her, putting a hand on her waist over the black fabric of her dress. She felt his thumb graze over her side, leaving pleasant warmth. In a trance, she gazed at him, taking in the long lashes that framed his eyes, his tousled white hair and his lips that were literally begging to be kissed. Her heartbeat quickened. She couldn’t help herself—she was attracted to him despite knowing that he would never care about a mere human. 

He leaned closer, cupping her cheek with one hand. She parted her lips, a sense of longing in her gaze, but she was disappointed. His eyes widened, something akin to horror flickering through them before he let her go like he had burned himself. He distanced himself and took a few steps back. She frowned, not understanding what was wrong all of a sudden.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked unsurely.

“No, I just…” he started, but trailed off, running a hand through his silky hair. “I don’t think we should do this after what happened last time.”

“Oh…” she said, regret flashing over her face, but she was quick to hide it behind a fake smile. “Thanks for accompanying me tonight. I had a lot of fun,” she added after a pause before she walked to her bedroom.

He stared after her, deep red overtaking the blue of his iris.

* * *

On Saturday, when Minji finally emerged from her bedroom with tangled hair and a yawn, it was almost noon. She had slept in after going to bed so late yesterday, but she didn’t regret it. Being lazy was great! Now, however, she stood in front of a mostly empty fridge, not finding anything that she could use for lunch… or late breakfast, whichever you wanted to call it. Sighing, she decided to go grocery shopping later, but first, she made herself a cup of coffee and joined Baëkhyun in the living room. He was playing videogames on his PS4, not really looking at her when she sat next to him. “Morning,” he mumbled, focused on the level he was playing. It looked like he was winning.

“Good morning,” she replied, sipping her coffee.

Mochi didn’t need long to join her, sprawling itself over her lap and asking to be petted. She smiled, holding her cup in one hand and running the other through its glowing fur. “Cutie,” she whispered, seeing its ears perk up.

“I’ll go grocery shopping soon,” she said when she finished her coffee. “Are you joining me?”

“Oh man, you’re always asking when I’m busy,” he grumbled, and she rolled her eyes.

“Alright, I’ll just take Mochi with me. The biggest grumpy cat here is obviously busy,” she teased, receiving a sinister look that she ignored.

“Come on, kitty, we’re going out,” she grinned, the demon running after her excitedly. The two of them left the flat and walked to her car. She drove to a supermarket that wasn’t too far away since she wanted to be home again soon.

Mochi followed her like a shadow, curiously glancing around but behaving itself. Minji sometimes thought that it had better manners than a certain other demon and smirked to herself. She strolled through the supermarket, throwing various items in her shopping cart. At one point, the kitty jumped up and let itself be driven around on the cart. “You’re my little sunshine,” she said to it, ignoring the weird looks she received from the people around her.

Her strange behavior soon caught the attention of two people that had been observing her for a while, deciding to approach her. When they stepped in her way, Minji looked up and glanced at two attractive men with different shades of blond hair. They were studying her curiously, and she wondered what they wanted.

“Can I help you?” she asked and was surprised when Mochi meowed at them. Realizing that the men were able to see the demon, she almost had a heart attack.

“We were just wondering why a human is going shopping with a demon, acting like it’s a pet,” the one with the lighter hair color grinned. “It’s a rare sight to see… and besides, we sensed a demonic aura coming from you that seemed familiar.”

Minji wasn’t sure if she could trust them, but oddly enough, the mark on her wrist didn’t ache which meant that they were safe to be around no matter how strange they acted. She had begun to trust the warnings of the mark and since she received none, she didn’t see a problem with talking to them.

“You’re demons, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Yes,” the light blond man smiled. “I’m Taëmin and this is Taeyøng.”

“I’m Minji,” she introduced herself.

“Do you by any chance know Baëkhyun?” Taeyøng asked.

“Yes, you could say that…” she answered, unsure if she could tell them about the bond or not.

“Ah, so that’s why he hasn’t shown himself in hell in forever,” Taëmin said, exchanging an amused glance with Taeyøng. “We were looking for him because it got boring without him around. You know, we’re light demons too, and we see ourselves as family.”

“If you want to see him, I can take you where he is,” she suggested since she was convinced that they were not dangerous. Minji was a bit surprised how open they acted towards her, a human, when Baëkhyun was the exact opposite.

“That would be great,” Taëmin smiled, his happy expression reminding Minji more of an angel than of a demon. She accompanied them to the check out where she paid for her stuff, noting that the two demons had mostly bought sweets which she found endearing.

The three sat in her car, Mochi getting comfortable on Taeyøng’s lap as Minji drove home. She couldn’t wait to see Baëkhyun’s face when she brought two demons home—and two of his friends, no less!

“Here we are,” she said after they had left the car and were standing in front of the building. They walked up the stairs and she unlocked the door, letting them in.

“I have a surprise for you, demon,” she yelled towards the living room, and he didn’t take long to answer.

“I doubt you could surprise me, human.”

Taeyøng snickered and exchanged an amused glance with Taëmin. They sneaked in the living room and when they entered, Baëkhyun turned to look at them, his eyes widening. She had never seen him so caught off guard and snorted. If she had her phone anywhere near her, she would have taken a picture of his face. It was hilarious.

“Surprise!” Taëmin said unnecessarily.

“What the fuck?” Baëkhyun sputtered. “Where did you come from?”

“Hell,” Taeyøng grinned.

“You don’t say,” Baëkhyun countered, rolling his eyes at them, but nonetheless he seemed happy to see them. “Come here and sit down, we have a lot to talk about.”

He switched off the tv and made space for them while Minji lingered at the door. “Can I offer you something to drink? Coffee?” she asked.

“Oh, that would be great. Thank you so much,” Taëmin smiled politely, yet again surprising her. She blushed.

“You’re so polite! Another demon here could learn something from you,” she said and glared at Baëkhyun.

“Oh, shut up.”

Taeyøng and Taëmin laughed as she went to the kitchen to get the coffee ready which didn’t take too long. Returning to the living room, she saw the three demons talk animatedly about something, only looking up when she placed the coffee cups on the table.

“Thanks,” Taeyøng said and Taëmin smiled at her. “We heard what happened already. You’re bonded, huh?”

“Ah, yes we are.”

“Cute! Our Baëkie has finally grown up!” Taëmin gushed and earned himself a heavy glare from Baëkhyun. The sunlight in the living room dimmed for a second.

“Don’t call me that, I told you a hundred times!”

“I’ll need to remember that,” Minji snickered and Taeyøng nodded at her.

“You better call him Baëkie all the time,” he chuckled, not caring about a certain other demon’s annoyance.

“You two are just as chaotic as always,” he sighed and shook his head. “What drove you to leave hell?”

“We just wanted a little change. It’s kind of chaotic right now… Chanyeøl _accidentally_ set Chën’s residence on fire and they’re at each other’s throats... they’ve been fighting nonstop for days.”

“Again?” Baëkhyun laughed. “Damn, he really doesn’t know when to stop.”

“Suhø was there to put the fire out, and Chanyeøl got a looong lecture from him. I think he’s scarred for life,” Taëmin snickered.

“I’m sure they want to meet you, Minji. As soon as they hear that this guy over here got bonded without telling them, they’ll be so pissed,” Taeyøng laughed, but to Minji it didn’t sound funny at all. She grimaced. “They always teased him about this kind of thing, believing he would never do it. It’s hilarious!”

“Don’t tell them, I really don’t want to die,” Minji groaned and hid her face in her hands.

“Don’t get me wrong, they wouldn’t kill you,” Taeyøng reassured her. “But they will be curious about you, so you should expect them to come by for a visit.”

“If you tell them about the bond, I’ll raise hell,” Baëkhyun threatened. “So don’t even think about it!”

The two demons cackled in a way that told Minji they couldn’t be stopped so easily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers!
> 
> There was literally no action in this chapter, but I used the opportunity to add a little bit of fluff and a lot of bickering between Minji and Baëkhyun. Their relationship is so weird, hahaha. What am I doing??  
> X-EXO kinda had a first appearance here... more or less? It's going to be chaotic when they show up. LOL


	11. Everything he's not

Minji stood in the kitchen, about to get the pizza from the oven. “Stop,” Baëkhyun interfered, and she flinched in shock because she hadn’t even heard him arrive. Glancing over her shoulder, she shot him a glare.

“Why?”

“We all know what’s gonna happen when you touch that burning hot pizza pan,” he said and shooed her away. “Let me do it and save us both the trouble.”

“Hey, you’re acting like I’m made of glass and clumsy as hell,” she whined, but stepped back and let him get the pizza. It was huge, covered in salami, tomatoes and all kinds of other ingredients that they had both put on it earlier.

“That’s because you are,” he taunted with a cocky smirk that never failed to annoy her.

“No!”

“Yes!”

“Ugh, getting on my nerves is your only hobby,” she grumbled, watching as he put a few pizza slices on a plate for them to eat. Minji grabbed two glasses and a bottle of soda and walked into the living room where the tv was already on. After Taeyøng’s and Taëmin’s unexpected visit, they had agreed to spend the rest of the evening at home.

Minji had used reverse psychology to trick Baëkhyun into helping her with making the pizza. It hadn’t been that hard to get the stubborn demon to do what she wanted. _“I thought you were good at cooking, but it seems you suck at it_ ,” she had said. “ _That’s not true! I’m better at it than you!”_ he had answered, to which she simply said, _“Then prove it!”_

And that was how easy it had been to convince him to help her. She smirked, sitting down on the sofa and leaning her back against a pillow. He sat next to her, grabbing a slice of the pizza and trying it. Minji found it very amusing how he suddenly found his love for regular human food after he refused to eat it for such a long time. Initially, she had never seen him eat, but now it happened often.

He was focused on the tv show they were watching and didn’t pay any attention to her. It was one of those weird game shows where people made fools of themselves, the kind that Minji didn’t like too much. Baëkhyun on the other hand laughed his ass off whenever something bad happened to one of the participants, to which she could only roll her eyes. “Did you see that idiot human fall on his butt? Damn, how stupid are these people?” he snickered in evil joy. Minji shook her head at him, not finding it funny at all, but he didn’t even see her reaction since he was too concentrated on the tv.

She had noticed that he had been less condescending and mean to her in the past week and she wondered if he started to get used to her. They bickered a lot, and he never let an opportunity slide to tease and fluster her since her reactions were highly amusing to him. Even so, she had noticed that he acted mindful of her now.

Minji on the other hand started to get used to the supernatural world. The fact that creatures like demons were real was slowly becoming normal to her, and she no longer lost her shit when she saw another ghost hanging out at a street corner.

Minji really wasn’t sure what Baëkhyun thought of her since he never even bothered calling her by her name. There had only been one single time when he had done it; and she didn’t want to remember that.

“Will you stop staring at me?”

She was suddenly torn from her thoughts, only to realize that she had been looking at him this entire time. He sighed dramatically. “I know that I’m handsome, but you’re overdoing it a bit,” he added with the smug smirk that he usually wore when he said stuff like that.

“I have never in my life met someone as conceited as you,” she mumbled under her breath.

“Human, how many times do I have to tell you not to insult me?” he growled, glowering at her with dark and sinister eyes. She swallowed, admitting to herself that he could be pretty intimidating if he wanted to.

“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” he then said, turning serious. “That witch who is bonded to Sehůn said something rather interesting that I keep thinking about. She told us that blood mages could possibly break the bond between us.”

“But Baëkhyun, Jangmi warned us about this! It’s too risky, and we don’t even know any blood mages,” she said worriedly, not liking the stubbornness that she saw in his face.

“You’re just scared I’d kill you if the bond is gone.”

“Well, I can’t deny that,” she admitted, fidgeting with the blanket on her legs. “But I also want to go back to my old life.”

“That is impossible. You would still be able to see the supernatural, with or without me does not matter,” he replied, his words making her skin crawl in fear. Of course he was right… Minji had to face it as it was, things would never go back to normal, unless she somehow magically broke the bond, lost her sight and got amnesia or something… Yeah, that was highly unlikely…

“Would you really kill me?” she asked after a long pause and reluctantly glanced at his face, scared of what she might find. He looked at her for an endless time, observing her without answering. His eyes met hers, but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking of. A tint of red overtook the blue of his iris, proving that some kind of battle raged within him. He gnawed at his lower lip, tilting his head. Minji got more nervous by the second and already regretted the question deeply until he finally answered her.

“I think… I think I would not,” he mumbled lowly. “You’re… entertaining and it would be a waste if you lost your life. Your soul would go to hell since you are a sinner, and I doubt that you would like that place.”

Ah, that was another problem to be added to the list. She was a sinner now, and heaven’s doors were closed for her, all because a dumb spell had gone out of control. Even so, she was glad to hear that he at least didn’t want to rip her head off anymore…

“Maybe you’re not so bad,” Minji answered, unable to hold back a faint smile, her eyes twinkling.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, arching an eyebrow while simultaneously taking another bite of his pizza slice. The tv show had long since been forgotten, none of them paid attention to it anymore.

“Um… demons are usually bad… but you’re not?” she stuttered. “I mean… you _are_ bad, but not _that_ bad? Slightly bad. Half bad?”

“Just stop talking, okay?” he grinned, shaking his head. “Stupid human,” he muttered and tousled her hair with his hand just to annoy her.

“Hey!” she complained, trying to save her poor hair from looking like a bird’s nest, but judging by his smirk it was a lost cause. “You’re so mean!”

“Oh please, you call that mean? I can do so much worse,” he said huskily, the seductive tinge in his voice not lost on her.

Before she could answer him, her smartphone started ringing and she pulled it out of the pocket of her sweatpants. She saw it was Chaeyoung and remembered her friend’s plan for the weekend while sighing to herself. “Hello Chae?” she said, feeling Baëkhyun’s eyes on her as she spoke.

“Minji, are you coming tonight? We’re already on the way to the house, it’s going to be so much fun!” Chaeyoung said excitedly.

“Please, Chae, I told you that this is dangerous. Don’t do it, okay?”

“It’s just a little ghost hunt, what could possibly go wrong? You’re a chicken, just like that time we used the Ouija board! Nothing happened back then and nothing will happen now!” Chaeyoung replied. Coldness seeped in Minji’s heart and her face fell, dread replacing the earlier happiness. She leaned back on the sofa, glaring at the ceiling.

“S-So what if nothing happened,” she forced out with some difficulty. It was hard to pretend all the time, but Minji didn’t want to drag her friend into this mess. Her obliviousness was annoying, but it was better than to confront her with the harsh truth. “Chaeyoung, you can’t go there! Trespassing is a crime and you know it.”

“Don’t act like you’re working for the police, Minji! I told you before, nobody will ever find out we were there.”

“Think about this for a minute. That property is abandoned for a reason… if no one wants to live there anymore, something must have happened,” Minji reasoned, but without success.

“You’re right about that, something did happen; and that’s why the place is supposed to be haunted,” Chaeyoung said. “Twenty years ago, a young bride was murdered in there and the people who bought the property later experienced strange things when they wanted to renovate it. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?”

Minji couldn’t share her enthusiasm for something so horrifying and creepy. Her fingers were trembling at the mere thought of going there. She had to stop her friend, at all costs!

“Don’t go there, please! Trust me on this when I say that it’s too dangerous.”

“You sound like my mom,” her friend nagged. “I’m going with my friends, whether you like it or not! And in case you’re changing your mind, I’ll send you the address. It would be great if you joined us. Remember, be there at 12!”

And then she just ended the call. Minji sat frozen and stared into space with wide frightened eyes. The beeping of the phone next to her ear didn’t even register in her brain until Baëkhyun took it from her and put it on the coffee table. He could tell that something was wrong, but since he hadn’t heard the whole conversation, he didn’t know what it was.

When Minji finally got over her initial shock, she took a deep breath, knowing that she had to do something since her friend was getting herself into grave danger. Her head snapped around and she looked at the demon. “You need to help me,” she said pleadingly, seeing his eyebrows raise at her desperate tone.

“Why?”

“My friend is planning to do something very reckless and I’m afraid I won’t be able to help her on my own,” Minji sputtered nervously, her heart beating faster in panic.

“You want me to help a _human_?” he repeated condescendingly, eyes cooling rapidly. He scowled at her, making it clear what he thought of that. “Who do you take me for? I’m not an angel.” He spat the last word like it was a terrible curse.

“Baëkhyun, please! I beg you!”

“For a price. My services are not cheap,” he muttered, narrowing his eyes in a way that made her shudder. She did not like the idea of owing him something, but she didn’t want Chae to be in danger either.

“Fine, I’ll do anything.”

“Are you sure? That is a lot,” he said lowly, leaning closer to her. He took a lock of her hair, twirling it around his finger. She gulped, not liking where this was going, but she didn’t take her words back. Meeting his gaze with determination, she said, “Yes.”

“Great, then we have a deal,” he drawled, looking so pleased that she feared she made a mistake just now. He didn’t state what he wanted, but his eyes glowed for a moment before they went back to normal.

“We need to leave now if we want to stop her,” Minji breathed nervously and got up, grabbing her smartphone before she ran to her bedroom to change into a pair of jeans. She was back within a minute and took her car key before they left the flat.

* * *

“You’re saying that your dumb friend is planning to break into a house in the middle of the night because she wants to see a ghost,” Baëkhyun grumbled annoyedly.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying,” Minji replied, keeping her eyes on the narrow road that led up the mountain. The car’s headlights illuminated their surroundings. An endless sea of trees stretched on left and right of the vehicle and the silence that surrounded it was eerie and unnatural. A shiver went down Minji’s spine at the mere thought of entering a haunted mansion in the middle of the night. Depending on what had occurred there, a ton of supernatural creatures could be waiting for them. Possibly much worse ones than ghosts…

“I swear, humans are just ridiculous. They’re basically asking to die,” Baëkhyun said uncaringly. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened until her knuckles turned white.

“Stop it with the insults! Chae doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into,” she defended her friend. “Besides, we’re having a deal here! You’re not doing this for free, so don’t complain.”

“Ah, yes. I’m looking forward to your end of the deal,” he laughed. The corners of her mouth turned down as unease washed over her.

“I’m not,” she uttered quietly, turning around another corner until a fence appeared and they reached a dead end. The gate of the property was closed but judging by the car parked in front of it, Chaeyoung and her friends had found a way inside already. Gritting her teeth, Minji took her jacket from the backseat and got out, quickly putting it on since the cold night air made her shiver.

They walked up to the gate which was almost thrice as high as Minji was tall and she wondered how the others had climbed over it without breaking their necks. “Well, shit,” she cursed as she stood in front of it.

“I could always destroy it,” Baëkhyun offered with an evil glint in his eyes.

“No, nobody is supposed to know that someone was here. We’ll have to climb over it, just like the others.”

“Yeah, sure. You’ll definitely break your neck when you try that and I don’t want to die early because of a clumsy human.”

“You have so much trust in me, demon. I’m flattered,” she snapped sarcastically.

“I’m going first,” he said, ignoring her words. “Someone has to make sure you don’t fall over it.”

She rolled her eyes and watched him climb over it with ease, jumping down three meters without a care in the world. A human would have broken a few bones… She didn’t dwell on it too much and pulled herself up, higher and higher, until she had reached the highest point. Her arms were shaking in exertion, but she didn’t give up. Not daring to look down, she swung one leg over the gate and took a deep breath.

“Come on, faster. You’re worse than a sloth,” Baëkhyun called from below, and she made the mistake to look at him, seeing how high up she was. Her eyes widened, and her grip on the metal tightened. She tensed up. This was worse than she had imagined. Why did she want to climb over it again? She closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath.

“Jump!” he yelled.

“Are you insane?!”

“I’ll catch you, just do it.”

She looked at him, meeting his eyes. He was surrounded by an unnatural glow that seemed to originate from his body. It was the only source of light in the vicinity, and somehow, the sight eased her fear. She took one more deep breath and swung her second leg over the gate. Then, she let go and fell.

It was over so fast that she didn’t even have time to scream. She heard the rushing of wind and then she was enveloped by his arms. She clung to his shoulders by instinct. “That was enough excitement for tonight,” she whispered and he let her down, sending her a mildly amused glance.

“The fun hasn’t even started yet. I sense a powerful presence in that house… and it seems to be angry,” he said, appearing unconcerned despite the looming danger. Minji wished she could be this relaxed, but her knees were getting weak just thinking about the demons that awaited them in that death trap.

“Then we should hurry and get these reckless idiots out of there,” she sighed and walked up to the dark mansion. Minji could easily imagine that the building in front of her had been a majestic sight once before, but now it radiated forlornness and a deep sense of danger. Unease crept up in Minji’s heart just from looking at it and she feared entering it.

The mansion was made of weathered grey stone that had seen better days. In the middle, above the massive entrance doors, a bell tower loomed over the rest of the structure, stretching its half-broken turrets towards the night sky. An old clock hung on it, its hands having stopped at one o’clock to the point. Minji’s eyes rested on it for a while, and she wondered if this was merely a coincidence, or if that time meant something.

The roof of the mansion was covered in dark shingles, some of them missing, others covered in moss. She spotted many small towers and turrets up there, but the bell tower was the highest. Many of the windows were shattered or cracked. Ivy clung to the walls of the mansion and made it look rundown. Nobody had taken care of this place in a long time. It seemed to be entirely abandoned and exposed to the forces of nature. Eerie silence hung over the entire property, not a single noise was heard.

Minji’s hands became sweaty as her fear rose. She stopped, glancing up at the bell tower one more time. She almost had a heart attack when she saw a shadow peering down at her. It was too dark to make out more than its outline, but it was definitely a person. They just stood there, watching her, not reacting in any way which proved to her that it wasn’t Chaeyoung or her friends. When she blinked once, they were suddenly gone; the window vacant.

“D-Did you see that?” she stuttered and glanced at Baëkhyun who shook his head.

“I don’t know what you mean. Must have been your imagination,” he said in a huff, striding towards the doors of the mansion.

“Wait for me,” she yelled and quickly caught up to him. He pushed open the doors, surprised they weren’t locked, and entered the abandoned building. Just at this moment, the mark on her wrist began to pulse angrily, warning her, but she couldn’t back down now. Judging by the look that he gave her, he sensed the impending danger too.

The lobby they found themselves in was dark until he lighted it up with a snap of his fingers. Light flooded the room and revealed things that Minji would have rather not seen.

The walls were grey, and the wallpaper was peeling off, revealing the stone under it. Cobwebs clung to the corners and to the furniture that was covered in a thick layer of dust. Several sofas stood on the left side of the room, a wide mirror hanging behind them. Strange dark smears stained its surface, and Minji had no idea where they came from. She was fine with never finding out. A staircase with a wrought iron railing rose up to another floor and several doors led in all directions. There were no clues as to where her friends could have gone.

“What now?” she asked indecisively, barely able to hold still since she was so nervous. Baëkhyun looked around with narrowed eyes that came to rest on the door to their left. It was slightly ajar.

“We’ll search for them,” he said.

“Chaeyoung!” she yelled. “Where are you?” Her loud voice echoed through the building, repeating a few times. She paused and listened, but there was no answer, just silence. “They should have heard that,” Minji mumbled with a bad feeling growing in her chest.

“Something’s wrong,” Baëkhyun confirmed. “I feel the entity… whatever it is… it doesn’t want me here.”

“Huh?”

“It wants me to leave. But I won’t.” Smirking evilly, he walked through the door and on a long hallway. The walls were covered in photo frames and she curiously glanced at the people in the photos, noticing how most of the pictures looked much newer than they should have, considering this place was abandoned twenty years ago. Minji didn’t like this one bit.

“Where could they be?” she mumbled, checking her smartphone to see if there were any new messages, but she had received none. It was ten minutes to 1 am and Chaeyoung was nowhere to be found. Minji grimaced and quickly dialed her number. Suddenly, she heard a phone ringing nearby and exchanged a sharp look with Baëkhyun. They sprinted down the hallway, her heart thundering in her ears. She prayed that Chaeyoung was fine, but since she never answered her phone, something had to be terribly wrong here.

Baëkhyun kicked open the next door, light flooding the entire room. Minji spotted the phone laying on the wooden floor, next to an old camera that looked oddly misplaced. She didn’t think it was Chaeyoung’s, so she left it alone and only took the phone.

They had entered what seemed to be a study. There was a desk and various bookshelves, all covered in dirt and dust. The air was stagnant and the disgusting stench in here made both of them nauseous. The group of students wasn’t here and Minji was seriously worried at this point. She moved closer to the wall opposite the window, staring at the photos that hung there. She squinted her eyes at them, and couldn’t believe what she saw. The person in the photo… it was Chaeyoung herself. She smiled happily at the camera, but even so, there was something off about the picture.

“Baëkhyun, the person in the photo is my friend,” she whispered in shock.

“What?” he asked and stood next to her to look at it with narrowed eyes. “Strange… what did the entity do to her?”

“Y-You don’t know?”

“What the hell, human? Do you think I’m a psychic?” he hissed annoyedly.

“No, but… you’re a demon,” she said like that could explain everything.

“We’ll go look somewhere else. I admit that this is weird, but your friends aren’t in this room…”

She followed him back to the lobby where they chose to walk up the creaky old stairs. They could give in at any time, and she didn’t want to break her legs in this madhouse, so she was careful. On the next floor they were greeted by a long corridor that led in two different directions. Baëkhyun chose to go to the west wing first. He entered the first room they came across, a large hall. Minji’s mark never stopped burning, no matter where they went. It served as a constant reminder that she wasn’t supposed to be here, and yet she didn’t go back. She couldn’t. _Not yet._

A sudden sound shattered the overpowering silence. It was a bell. Minji froze and her blood turned to ice. The sound came from the bell tower up above them. How was it possible for it to ring when it had clearly been broken? She had a terrible suspicion and took out her phone to check the time. _It was 1 am._

She exhaled shakily, and that was when the bell rang for the last time. The room went dark from one second to the next. Baëkhyun’s light was gone, and Minji was all alone. Her pulse skyrocketed. She desperately tried to see something in the all-encompassing blackness, but it was impossible. Not even her phone provided any light, and that didn’t make any sense at all.

“Baëkhyun? Are you there?” she called out. She received no answer and a single glance down at her wrist revealed that the mark that usually shone brightly at his proximity wasn’t visible in the impenetrable darkness. It ached dully, constantly warning her of danger.

_She was alone_. She really was all alone. How was that possible? The demon had just now been on the other side of the room. He couldn’t just be gone! She panicked, but the light suddenly came back and she faced a completely different scene than before.

Baëkhyun still was there, but something was off. His hair had a slightly warmer shade, reminding her of a sunny blond, and his eyes were chocolate brown, glimmering softly. There was no chain on his face, and he didn’t wear his hair with a braid either. He smiled warmly at her, the expression so kind and genuine that it puzzled her. She had never seen him look at her like this.

“Baëkhyun? Is that you?” she asked reluctantly.

“Yes and no,” he replied, sounding exactly like him. “My name is Baekhyun.”

“W-What?” she stuttered in disbelief.

He smiled charmingly and came closer, standing right in front of her. His blond hair was styled in a different way than Baëkhyun’s was and he radiated warmth that the demon had never shown towards her. She felt comfortable with him, trusting him right away. Where did he come from… and why did he look so similar to Baëkhyun? She didn’t understand at all.

“Why do you look like _him_?” she asked in confusion, causing him to sigh. A sad frown appeared and his sunny smile vanished.

“I’m his better half,” he answered ambiguously, “Everything he’s not.”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *adds another Baekhyun to the story cause why not*  
> I'M WHEEZING LMAO
> 
> Baëkhyun is getting some serious competition here. A ton of things could happen next chapter... what do you think? We could have an extremely weird love triangle with two Baekhyuns, or maybe a fight, or something else altogether. ;D SO MANY OPTIONS AHHHHHH!!!
> 
> And now the most important question of the day: Whose team are you on? ;D


	12. His Better Half

* * *

“I’m his better half,” Baekhyun answered ambiguously. “I’m everything he’s not.”

He vocalized what she had been thinking since she had first seen him. Baekhyun was very different from Baëkhyun… in a good way. He wasn’t scary, nor intimidating, he didn’t yell at her or insult her and he looked _human_. More human than the demon could ever be. The longer she gazed at him, the more she wished that he was the one she had been bonded to.

“You are looking for your friend, aren’t you?” he asked.

“How did you know?” she asked wide-eyed.

“You just called for her,” he answered, tilting his head. A strand of his blond hair fell over his eyes, making him look adorable.

“Do you know where my friend is?” she asked hopefully.

“I don’t, I’m sorry,” he answered regretfully and furrowed his brow.

“That’s a shame… but thanks anyways. This place is less scary with you around,” she smiled, and he mirrored her expression, his chocolate eyes twinkling warmly.

“I’m happy to be of help, even if it isn’t much,” he said and held out his hand for her to take. She didn’t hesitate and put her hand in his, feeling his soft skin touch hers. His hand encased hers and he pulled her closer to him, never once breaking eye contact. As she looked at him, she realized how handsome he was, and easily got lost in his eyes that were gentle and inviting, making her feel comfortable and safe. The longer she gazed at him, the more her nervous heartbeat calmed until it went back to normal.

“I want to show you something, Minji. Do you trust me?”

She squeezed his hand. “Yes,” she whispered, warmth blooming in her heart. Again, his smile was bright, lighting up his entire face, and she could only gape at him, surprised by the joy he radiated.

It was peculiar to see Baëkhyun’s face look at her with such warmth and gentleness. It just didn’t fit together, and something about it weirded her out, but she didn’t dwell on the thought for too long. Baekhyun was nice to her, he was so much better than the demon in every way. How could she even think about Baëkhyun for a second, when Baekhyun was everything that he could never be?

“Please follow me,” Baekhyun said, grinning like a happy puppy as he led her out the room to the hallway. He still held her hand, and she glanced at his back with an elated smile. She wondered where he would take her, and she wondered why he knew the mansion so well. The area they entered now wasn’t as rundown as the rest of the building. There hardly was any dust around, no cobwebs, no decay. Countless picture frames hung on the walls left and right of her, the people depicted on the photos smiling at her.

Only minutes later, they entered another room, this one looking lavish with expensive and old furniture that she otherwise might have seen in a castle. A canopy bed stood opposite the window façade and next to it, Minji spotted a wooden wardrobe with flowers carved in its surface. She was blown away by the beauty of this room, but she didn’t understand why it looked so inviting compared to the rest of the house. It seemed like someone had been living here all this time.

“Baekhyun?” she asked, prompting him to turn around to look at her.

“Yes? You look confused,” he chuckled. “Do you not like this room?”

“It’s beautiful,” she replied. “Is that what you wanted to show me?”

“Not quite,” he smirked and pulled her closer to him. She gazed into his chocolate eyes and was mesmerized by their inviting warmth, unable to look away.

Suddenly, raw pain flashed through her arm and half of her torso, causing her to stumble forward, right towards his chest. He embraced her, watching her with worry in his eyes. “What’s wrong? Minji?”

She gasped, barely able to take the burning hot agony in her body. Realizing that this wasn’t her own pain, she opened her eyes wide, looking around in search, but she didn’t find who she was looking for. Of course not. He was not here. Minji had never felt pain from the demon before and she was aware that it took a lot to hurt him. Her heart became heavy with concern and her chest constricted as she worried about what was happening to Baëkhyun right at this moment. Was he in danger? Where could he be? The pain in her body faded gradually, but a dull ache remained, telling her that he was anything but safe. Looking up in Baekhyun’s eyes, she felt bad that she had forgotten the demon so easily. What had she been thinking, following a complete stranger through a haunted mansion?

“I need to go,” she said urgently and was about to leave, but he stopped her.

“Would you leave me for that demon?” he asked sadly and frowned deeply. “He is so mean to you all the time, why would you be worried about him?”

She didn’t have an answer to that herself, shrugging her shoulders helplessly. “He isn’t all bad… he really isn’t.”

“But he is! Let me stay with you in his stead—I can make you happy.”

She looked up at him, feeling his embrace tightening around her. Biting her lip, she sent him a conflicted glance, his warm eyes causing her resolve to crumble. “Baekhyun, I don’t know if I…”

“Hush. I’ll get rid of him for you. I can give you back your freedom, you just need to trust me,” he said and smiled cheerfully. How could she say no to this man? She parted her lips, losing herself in his chocolate eyes, but a very persistent voice in her mind told her that she couldn’t do this. She wasn’t the kind of person that betrayed others; and she would not turn her back on the demon. Baëkhyun and her needed to work as a team, otherwise they would never get rid of the bond.

“Why are you hesitating? I’m the only one that can make him disappear from your life. I can take his place,” Baekhyun continued, brushing a black strand of hair behind her ear with a gentle touch. “He is nothing but a burden to you. Don’t you wish for him to vanish?”

His words triggered a strong sense of desperation within her, reminding her of everything she had lost when she had been chained to the demon. Most of all, her wish to lead a normal life, to be happy and not having to worry about supernatural creatures. She swallowed hard, tears burning in her eyes. His embrace was warm and comforting; it would be so easy to just say _yes_.

“I would never wish for someone to vanish, even if that someone is a demon. I told you that he isn’t all bad,” she said honestly and met his gaze head-on, her face showing a serious frown. “There has to be another way.”

“But Minji! He’s dangerous! How many times did he threaten to kill you? You can’t just forget about that!”

“I… I know,” she breathed conflictedly, remembering the cruel things Baëkhyun had told her in the past.

_“Do you know what happened to the last person that summoned me?” Baëkhyun asked, smirking evilly at her before he moved his thumb horizontally over his neck. “I killed him, dragging it out to make it as painful as possible. And that’s exactly what is going to happen to you. As soon as I’m rid of the bond, I’m going to bring you to hell myself, condemning your soul to purgatory for eternity.”_

She took a shaky breath and tried to forget about it, but those words had been burned into her memory. It was hard to stay calm as she recalled his smoldering glare, his enraged voice. In a twisted and fucked up way, all this reminded her of her ex, and that wasn’t someone she liked to think about. He’d threatened her all the time until she nearly had lost her mind. Part of her confidence had gone down the drain as well, leaving her more insecure than before.

She had begun to trust Baëkhyun during the past days and weeks, letting her guard down around him, but now she had to ask herself if that had been a mistake. Wasn’t he too similar to Dongmin? Wasn’t he just as mean and rude to her, putting her down whenever he could? Minji felt torn apart as memories of their past arguments flickered through her mind. Baëkhyun had often said mean things to her. He was prideful and arrogant, easy to anger and rather violent. What he’d done to the vampire not long ago still made her shiver—she hated violence and he never hesitated to use it.

However, there had been moments when Baëkhyun had been kind to her even if it hadn’t happened often. She remembered his attempts to cheer her up, how he cooked her favorite dish for her. That had been unexpectedly nice of him. And hadn’t he acted considerate too when he’d been more careful around her after she had panicked when they kissed? If she thought about it, he had never physically harmed her, and lately his remarks towards her were much more teasing than insulting. She had been in the wrong when comparing him to Dongmin… they were not the same. Not at all. 

“Minji?” Baekhyun’s soft voice distracted her from her thoughts and caused her to glance at his face. He was still frowning in worry, holding on to her hands. Silky strands of blond hair framed his cheeks, looking a little messier than before, but in a cute way. “Have you made your decision?” he asked.

She widened her eyes, but her words got stuck in her throat. What was she supposed to tell him? He seemed to be nice and kinder than the demon, but nonetheless he was a complete stranger. First impressions didn’t say all that much about the true character of a person…

Agony hit her so unexpectedly she nearly lost her balance. Gritting her teeth, she clutched her shoulder. It felt like it was bitten by something. Gasping, she was overwhelmed by the pain. _What was happening to Baëkhyun?_ He had to be in terrible danger, possibly attacked by a vicious demon. She had to do something to help him!

Without warning, the door to the room was thrown open, banging against the wall. Her head snapped around, her eyes meeting Baëkhyun’s. She was shocked when she saw him. His clothes were torn and bloody, half of his sleeve was missing, and he was bleeding badly. It seemed to be a wonder he was still able to stand. Since the pain was dulling, she assumed that his demonic power somehow helped him heal faster. Blood splatters covered part of his face; he had lost his chain somewhere in the fight he had been in. His scarlet eyes darkened when they took in the scene in front of him. Clutching his side with one hand, he entered the room, his shoulders heaving.

“Get away from him _now_ ,” he snarled furiously, acting just as rudely as she was used of him. The worry in her heart dimmed.

“Why?”

“Are you that stupid?”

“Don’t insult her,” Baekhyun said sharply. “Learn your place, lowly demon!”

The light around Baëkhyun bent and flickered as he got angrier and angrier. It was a terrifying sight that prompted Minji to take a step back. She didn’t see Baekhyun’s sly smirk at her apparent fear, too focused on Baëkhyun to notice anything else.

Baekhyun hugged her tightly and shot the demon a challenging look that riled him up even more. Something sinister flickered through his brown eyes, though he put a sugary smile on his face when Minji looked at him.

“See, he is rude and not the right person for you to be around,” he said in a tone that was soft as velvet and captured her attention. She met his gaze and felt his breath fan over her lips, fighting the sudden urge to close the distance between them.

“Damnit, get away from him!” Baëkhyun shouted furiously, but he didn’t dare attack his reflection since chances were high he would hurt her accidentally. Judging by the cunning smirk on the other man’s face, he was aware of this.

“ _Minji_ , you can’t trust…” Baëkhyun started, but he was suddenly interrupted by a horrifying snarl coming from behind him. A demon appeared at the door that looked like a dog, but it was merely a skeleton without skin and flesh, and it had its sight set on Baëkhyun. He had barely recovered from the last demon attack, and barely managed to evade before the sharp teeth of the dog could tear into his arm. Cursing, he willed light to strike the monster, but it wasn’t defeated so soon. It jumped at him again and bit his arm hard. He screamed, agony searing Minji’s body. It felt terrible, and she could only imagine how much worse it was for him, since he had to deal with the blood loss and exhaustion too.

Minji couldn’t stand back and watch. Ripping herself away from Baekhyun’s embrace, she grabbed the first thing she could see – a wooden chair – and ran at the two demons while the pain threatened to make her legs give in. She swung the chair at the skeleton and heard a crack when it collided. The monster growled furiously as it was slammed away from Baëkhyun and hurled against the wall. He immediately followed up with another light attack, this time separating the skull from its body, rendering it motionless. The skeleton turned to ash. Minji let out a relieved breath, glancing at Baëkhyun with worry shining in her eyes.

“Will you be okay?” she asked, kneeling next to him. She took his hand that felt colder to the touch than it should have. His shoulders were heaving in exertion, and it was plain to see that he was reaching his limit. He met her gaze and she saw that his eyes were still dyed red… fury and frustration burned in them. “Baëkhyun?” she asked again when she didn’t receive an answer. 

“Minji, get away from this filthy demon! He has no right to be near you,” Baekhyun said, watching the scene with narrowed eyes. His tone sounded bitter, and the same bitterness reflected in his chocolate eyes. “Trust me, if he could, he would kill you in a heartbeat.”

She faltered, but she didn’t let go of the demon’s hand. “Who are you really, Baekhyun?” she asked, ignoring his provocative words.

Baekhyun’s smile could have been that of an angel, so bright and sunny it blinded her. “Why, I already told you. I’m his better half, the one that isn’t tainted,” he said, reaching his hand out to her. “Leave him, he doesn’t care about you anyways.”

“Shut up,” Baëkhyun growled. She glanced at him, seeing him clutch his shoulder as he got up from the floor and stood slightly hunched over, his enraged gaze never leaving Baekhyun. Minji stood next to him, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

“Sorry, but I’m staying right here,” she said confidently and smiled. “I’m not leaving him.”

Baekhyun’s smile dimmed and disappeared altogether, a glower taking its place. All of a sudden, he glared at her with such a different expression that she was taken aback. “But why?” Baekhyun hissed, his nice façade slipping. “I’m _perfect_. Why would you pick the imperfection?”

“Being perfect isn’t everything,” she answered, only receiving a disbelieving stare.

“I have never heard something so utterly ridiculous in my life!” he spat, prompting her to flinch in shock at his unexpected outburst. Baekhyun appeared like a completely different person now, and she could hardly believe how this was the same person that had been so sweet to her just moments before. She realized that she had been a naïve idiot when she had followed him without hesitation. _He couldn’t be trusted._

A strange movement of Baekhyun’s arm made the table behind him float up in the air. Minji’s eyes widened, unable to understand how this was possible. Baekhyun obviously wasn’t human, but then _what_ was he?

He abruptly stretched his arm out to them, and the table was hurled in their direction. Minji’s eyes reflected pure terror—she froze, only to be roughly pushed down by Baëkhyun. They both landed on the dusty floor, evading the table narrowly. It crashed against the wall behind them, smashed to pieces. Baëkhyun groaned, gritting his teeth in pain since the impact had worsened his shoulder injury. Nonetheless, he got up quickly and pulled Minji up by the wrist. They ran for cover when Baekhyun let the splintered wood of the table rise up in the air. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he would do with it.

Baëkhyun frantically looked for cover, his eyes falling on the bed next to them. He pulled Minji along and they crouched behind it. “Stay down,” he hissed in her ear, hovering over her as he looked over the edge of the bed.

“Do you really think that hiding there will keep you safe?” Baekhyun said, chuckling amusedly. The laugh was disturbing since it sounded happy and joyful, not fitting to someone who was trying to kill two people. She was shocked hearing it, clenching her jaw and cursing herself for believing him at first.

A splintered table leg shot towards Baëkhyun’s head, causing him to widen his eyes. Hastily, he ducked down, the projectile hitting the wall behind him. Minji looked up at him fearfully, meeting his frustrated gaze. He clenched his hands to fists, his tense posture showing his anger as he leaned over her.

“I’m giving you one last chance, Minji,” Baekhyun sang. “Come over here and you’re going to be safe. That is all you need to do. Trust me, I only want the best for you.”

She hated how kind he sounded despite the cruelty of his actions, despite the threat in his words. Who was he? And why was he so keen on getting her to stay with him? There had to be a reason, she just couldn’t see it.

“Baekhyun, why are you doing this?” she forced out.

“I can’t stand demons,” he answered immediately, “And I do all it takes to make them miserable.”

Was this guy a demon hunter? But how could it be that he looked almost exactly like Baëkhyun? How did he have the power to move objects without touching them?

“Did you finally decide? We don’t have all night,” he hissed impatiently.

“I don’t trust you, and that’s my final word on this matter,” she said and waited with bated breath for the outburst that was sure to follow.

He chuckled sinisterly, the happiness gone from his voice. _This man creeped her out so much!_ It was like he kept hitting a switch, constantly changing from one persona to the other, as if he wasn’t sure which role he wanted to play.

“Great, then I’m going to have fun killing you now, just like everyone else who entered this building,” he hissed.

Baëkhyun’s eyes widened, but Minji didn’t know why until it was almost too late. She didn’t get a warning when he suddenly moved, nearly crushing her beneath him as he shielded her with his body. He grunted, and she felt pain bloom on her back that wasn’t her own. His body slumped, shuddered, having taken too much damage. He exhaled, the distorted expression on his face revealing his desperation.

Minji was scared for him, her hand moving over the back of his head in a soothing manner. “Are you... alright?” she whispered, her mouth close to his neck. He smelled of blood and ash.

“Yes, I am,” he said and pushed himself off her shakily. He couldn’t convince her with his words, she could not take seeing him like this.

He got up, gathering light in his palm. Minji knew that it was not as bright as it should have been. He had to have reached his limit by now. Worry gnawed at her heart. She had always seen him as invincible, as a someone that never faltered and could take any hit that was thrown at him. Now she had to realize that this wasn’t true at all. He was not immortal. Of course he could die, maybe not as easily as a human, but he could perish just like any other being.

Light flashed as it shot from his palm towards Baekhyun who didn’t have time to cover himself. He was hit by it and swore. His clothes were singed, blond hair tousled, but he didn’t back down and wiped the blood off his brow with his sleeve. “Wow, you’re so violent!” he commented lightly, as if he wasn’t just as bad. “As expected of a demon. I’m upset that you would pick his side over mine, Minji.”

“Shut up! Tell me who you are,” she hissed and got up to stand next to Baëkhyun while glaring at the other man that smiled brightly at her.

“But you already know!”

She gritted her teeth, losing her nerves due to his behavior. He was infuriating and his childish attitude mixed with his ruthlessness scared her.

“Do you know who he is?” she asked Baëkhyun who glanced at her briefly.

“He was created by the creature that dwells in this building,” he spat hatefully, “And he was probably trying to lure you somewhere to kill you… and consequently me as well.” Minji’s jaw dropped in shock and she could only stare at him in horror. Baekhyun had been so kind to her, and his touch had felt so real. What kind of creature could create such an illusion?

“Do you really believe him?” Baekhyun piped in. “I know you’re smarter than that.”

“I do believe him. Show your true colors and stop playing around!”

He let out a laugh and the kind expression on his face warped, making way for a creepy sneer that was very different from his earlier smile. His form blurred, reshaping itself into someone else and suddenly, they were standing in front of a woman.

She had long black hair and wore a wedding dress that looked pristine and beautiful, but the large red stain in the middle of her chest destroyed the image of a happy bride. Her skin was ashen, covered with veins, and her eyes were so dark that they appeared black.

“Shame. You could have died peacefully, Minji. You wouldn’t even have noticed. I put so much effort into creating the perfect illusion for you,” she said regretfully.

“W-Who are you?” Minji stuttered, inching closer to Baëkhyun who observed the ghostly woman closely.

“My name is Lilly,” she answered. “I died in this house in my wedding night. My own husband shot me through the chest without mercy. I’ve wandered the halls of this mansion ever since.”

“You became an evil spirit,” Baëkhyun said, and she nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. It was the only way to get my revenge,” she laughed maliciously. “I killed the bastard. He died screaming and pleading. I’ll never forgive him for murdering me in our wedding night.”

Minji knew that she was supposed to be angry at the spirit, but she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She must have been in love with that man and hoping for a happy marriage. It made her think about what kind of man her husband had been – he had to have been very ruthless to shoot his wife right through the chest. She felt cold just thinking about it.

“But you’ve gotten your revenge. Can’t you just… stop now and find peace?” Minji asked.

“Oh, you humans are so naïve. It’s endearing,” she giggled. “I have lost my chance to find peace a long time ago, so I’m having some fun killing humans. It has become my favorite source of entertainment over the years.”

“What did you do to my friends?” Minji shouted, horrified to hear the answer.

“I was about to kill them, but then you two arrived… I knew that I had to stop you first since a demon poses a much bigger threat to me than a group of weak humans, so I trapped them in the basement. I’m going to take care of them later,” Lilly said gleefully. “It was easy to trick them with my illusions, they just needed to see something that they desperately want, something they can never have. That’s all it takes for humans to run right into their doom.”

“It’s no use to reason with an evil spirit,” Baëkhyun growled. “Just let me take care of it.”

“Can you?” Minji asked, looking up at him to see a very familiar arrogant smirk appear on his lips. It was weary and looked unsettling with all the blood on his face, but nonetheless it reassured her.

“Watch me,” he replied cockily. “Once an evil spirit has shown its true form, it’s vulnerable and can easily be sent to hell. I’ve been waiting for her to make this mistake,” he whispered so quietly that Lilly couldn’t hear.

Baëkhyun held up his hand and pure white light gathered in it, radiating heat.

“What are you doing, demon?” Lilly roared, the brightness making her retreat back into the darkness of the room. She hissed in pain when the rays burned her skin. The light flared, shooting towards her and enveloping her. It got so bright that Minji had to shield her eyes with her arm. She heard the anguished cries of the spirit until the light faded and silence fell over the room. Only then did she dare to look. Lilly was gone, nowhere to be found, and with her disappearance, the once beautiful room had decayed, showing its true state. It was just as rundown and dusty as the rest of the mansion. The curtains were torn and had moth holes, the windows were broken and cold night air streamed in from outside.

Minji let out a breath of relief and glanced at Baëkhyun who looked tired and spent like she had never seen him before. The ache in her body proved that he was still in pain. She encased his hand with both hers, gaining his attention. His eyes were clouded with exhaustion.

“What happened to you?” she asked softly. “I was worried when I suddenly felt your pain.”

He snorted. “Now you know what that is like. The bitch sent every single demon in this house after me to get rid of me… but I killed them all.” His eyes hardened. “Tell me why you would run after that impostor without thinking twice!” he growled ill-temperedly.

She blushed in mortification and bit her lower lip, guilt rising within her heart. “He was so kind and… charming. I just…” she stopped and sighed.

“He wrapped you around his finger, huh?” he muttered, a tinge of jealousy appearing in his reddish eyes. He huffed.

“I’m sorry, Baëkhyun. Really. I wouldn’t have left you behind, I hope you know that.”

“Didn’t look like it to me,” he hissed sulkily.

“I could… prove it to you?” she said with a shy glimmer in her eyes.

Her heart fluttered nervously as she put her hand on his bloody cheek. He glanced at her with raised eyebrows, not sure what she was planning. Minji kept eye contact and stood on her tiptoes, leaning closer to him. Her lips touched his, and she planted a light kiss on them, feeling him freeze in surprise. The red in his eyes disappeared as sky-blue spread over his iris. She smiled when he returned the kiss, moving his lips against hers while he hugged her, arms enveloping her body. He was hesitant at first, but soon his reluctance melted away and the kiss became passionate. When they separated, her pupils were dilated, and she was breathing heavily. She looked into his hooded eyes, seeing desire spark in them.

“Did that convince you?” she whispered, only to see him smirk at her.

“You’ll need to do it again,” he said smugly.

“That’s all you’re getting. Remember that we’re here to save my friends… you haven’t fulfilled your part of the deal yet,” she reminded him, causing him to let out a groan.

“Killjoy,” he grumbled, but nonetheless left the room with her, his light flooding the hallway.

They passed the countless picture frames on the walls and Minji wondered why they were here. Obviously, Lilly had something to do with it, but she didn’t quite understand why she would keep photos of smiling humans around. “What do you think is the meaning behind the photos?” Minji asked when her curiosity boiled over.

“I’m sure that they were her victims over the years. Many people must have come here to explore the property, and she probably killed them all and kept photos as trophies,” he said with boredom in his tone. He could care less about the motives of an evil spirit. He had sent her to hell where she belonged and that was that.

Minji shuddered, trying hard not to think about it too much. “I want to go home, cuddle with the kitty, and never come here again. A cup of hot chocolate would be great too,” she daydreamed quietly, never noticing the mildly amused gaze she received from the demon. They descended the old and creaky stairs and were back in the lobby. It didn’t take long for them to find the door that led to the basement. It was next to the staircase and locked.

“Your turn, demon,” she said and made a dramatic gesture towards the door. He rolled his eyes and kicked it open, the door hitting the wall with a loud bang. As if by magic, the stairs leading down were lit up by faintly glowing orbs of light. It was dusty down here and it stank. Minji didn’t like it but went down anyways. She entered a wide room with moldy walls and shelves filled with all kinds of items. When her gaze darted around, it got stuck on five people that were passed out on the ground.

“Chaeyoung!” she yelled and crouched next to her friend, worriedly checking her pulse. She felt her steady heartbeat under her fingers and let out a breath. The tension in her body finally evaporated, tears of relief welling up in her eyes. “Thank god,” she whispered.

“Excuse me? I did all the work here,” Baëkhyun complained surly, folding his arms as he stared down at the unconscious humans. “You should thank _me_.”

Minji wiped her eyes and looked up at him, seeing his sarcastic eye roll. “You’re getting paid for this, so why should I thank you?” she said, trying to tease him a little. She knew how to push his buttons and seeing his scowl proved that she had succeeded yet again. “I’m joking. Thanks, Baëk,” she smiled. Now she had caught him by surprise, his blue eyes widening considerably.

“What’s with the nickname?”

“I thought it sounds good. Or should I call you _Baëkie_ like Taëmin suggested?”

“No!”

She giggled, her gaze moving back to Chaeyoung, her boyfriend Hongbin and the three strangers that she didn’t know. They were all unharmed as far as she could tell, but she didn’t know how long it would take for them to wake up. Sighing, she leaned back and observed them.

“We should leave,” Baëkhyun said. “If we’re here when they wake up, they will ask questions and be extremely annoying like humans usually are. Also, I don’t exactly look presentable.”

Minji had to agree with that. His clothes were ripped, half of his shirt was missing and all the dried blood was a nauseating sight. She felt that his wounds were almost healed, but she still was concerned about him. Had he been human, he would be dead for sure.

“But they are not safe here, what if another entity appears to hurt them?” Minji said worriedly.

“There are no other spirits in this house. I don’t sense any danger and I killed all the demons earlier, too,” he replied. “They might have a headache when they wake up, but other than that…”

“Okay, fine. Let’s go home.”

When they walked up the stairs, Baëkhyun gave her a hard stare. “And just so we are clear on this, I am a hundred times better than that impostor!”

She smiled, not seeing anything wrong with that. “You are.”

* * *


	13. Run Devil Run

Only a day after Minji and Baëkhyun had been in the creepy mansion, Chaeyoung came over for a visit. “Minji!” she said excitedly. “You’ll never guess what happened last night!”

“No, I’ll never guess,” Minji replied, but her sarcastic tone went unnoticed by her bubbly friend. They sat down at the kitchen table and she offered Chaeyoung coffee since she looked pretty tired.

Minji had to listen to her longwinded rambling about what had happened to her and her friends. It was a bit difficult to act like she didn’t already know everything her friend told her, but she kept her mouth shut and nodded from time to time as she listened. When Chaeyoung had finally ended her explanation, she glanced at Minji with wide eyes.

“What do you think? Sounds pretty crazy, right? I just remember following a stranger to the basement, next thing I know is that I woke up laying on the ground,” she shuddered, holding her coffee cup with both hands. “Maybe Jisoo was right all this time… maybe ghosts and demons do exist.”

“Yeah, suure,” Minji said sarcastically. “If demons existed, they would be conceited, self-centered, rude, annoying, ill-tempered…”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence because Baëkhyun had heard her comments and came through the door, glowering at her with a sinister glint in his eyes. It was rare to see him without the face chain, leading her to assume he had lost it somewhere in the mansion.

“What did you just say, human?” he grumbled.

“Nothing,” Minji replied innocently before her attention moved back to Chaeyoung. “This is Baëkhyun, the new housemate I mentioned a while ago.”

“O-Oh, hello,” she said, clearing her throat. Her eyes went wide and she gaped at him like he was out of this world. Which was kind of true. “Minji, you didn’t tell me you have… uh… such a… hot housemate.”

“Thank you for feeding his ego,” Minji retorted when she saw the smug smirk on Baëkhyun’s lips. The bastard was enjoying the attention, she could see it in his eyes.

“I was just surprised,” Chaeyoung said. “Are you an angel?” she added jokingly.

Now he looked _very_ offended, clicking his tongue. “No, I’m a demon and you have no idea how many souls I have sent to purgatory before,” he said with a deadpan face.

Chaeyoung obviously didn’t get it, laughing at him. “Oh, I see.”

“I’m serious.”

Minji choked on air, her eyes so wide they almost fell out of her head. “Baëkhyun, shut the fuck up!” she hissed, ready to strangle him, but he ignored her deliberately, his lips twitching in amusement at her exasperation.

“Does that mean you have wings? And horns?” Chaeyoung asked in an attempt to humor him.

“No, only angels have wings and I don’t like those. Some demons do have horns, but I personally think they look overdramatic,” he explained in dead seriousness. Minji couldn’t believe the ridiculousness of this conversation, how they completely talked past one another.

“Damn, he takes this roleplay thing seriously,” Chaeyoung commented, smirking at Minji. “So that’s the kind of stuff you’re into. Kinky.”

Minji’s mouth fell open. “T-That’s not… I’m not…!” she stuttered, blushing bright red.

“How do you stay in character like that?” Chaeyoung gushed, her eyes glued to Baëkhyun. “This is amazing.”

“Because what I said is true,” he answered, annoyed at the human that didn’t get it at all.

“Baëkhyun, don’t you have something else to do?” Minji cut in and shot him a look that could have killed.

“No,” he drawled. “Entertain me.”

Chaeyoung giggled. “Ohhh, I see how it is. You are so cute, I can’t!” she gushed, prompting Minji to hide her face in her hands, groaning and grumbling at these two idiots.

* * *

The shopping streets of Myeongdong were especially crowded today since it was Saturday afternoon and Minji had to be careful not to get separated from Yixing in the chaos. They had agreed to meet today to spend some time together outside of work. A whole week had passed since she had entered that creepy house and sometimes she had nightmares of the visit. It had scared her more than she wanted to admit, but she was careful to hide this from Baëkhyun since she suspected that he would only taunt her if he found out. Yixing on the other hand had been quite understanding when she had told him about it. He was a little angry at her friend for being so stupid, but he was glad that none of them had been hurt.

“Are you getting along better with Baëkhyun?” Yixing asked when they passed several boutiques and shops.

“I don’t know, honestly. We’re bickering a lot but… it’s okay, I guess.”

“If he annoys you too much, tell me,” Yixing said, smiling slyly. “I know exactly how to get on his nerves!”

“I don’t doubt it,” she grinned. “I can always count on you!”

He snorted and nodded.

Minji had a god reason to go shopping today, though she wasn’t sure if she would find what she was looking for since it was a little special, but she wanted to try her luck. She entered a jeweler store, seeing Yixing grin knowingly.

It took some time, but eventually she found what she wanted and bought it. Yixing nearly fell over laughing when he saw what it was and didn’t let her hear the end of it, teasing her until she had a permanent blush on her face. He made it a lot more embarrassing for her than it was, almost acting as if she had bought wedding rings or something like that.

“I wouldn’t have expected that of you, Minji. You surprised me,” he cackled.

“D-Don’t say that! I-I just thought… it would be a… good idea,” she stumbled over her words, unable to look at Yixing. The demon wasn’t done making fun of her yet, much to her annoyance.

“I’ve never seen you buy something for your boyfriend before,” he smirked and she nearly dropped her shopping bag.

“What boyfriend? I don’t have one!” she said so quickly that he almost didn’t understand her.

“Are you sure?” Yixing asked slyly. “You do realize that a bond is basically the demon version of marriage, do you?” he snickered and his eyes twinkled mischievously when the blush on her face got as red as hellfire itself. “H-HUH?!” she squeaked. _“Why hasn’t anyone ever told me?!”_

It was 6 pm when she returned home, and after Yixing’s endless teasing she wasn’t so sure anymore if what she was planning was a good idea. She took off her jacket, pulled a little box from her shopping bag and trudged towards the living room where she heard the muffled sounds of the tv. She discovered Baëkhyun playing another PS4 game and sat down next to him on the sofa. He briefly looked at her, pausing his game and putting the controller on the table.

“Didn’t expect you to come back so soon. Did Läy annoy you?” he smirked.

“You could say that,” she mumbled under her breath, feeling her cheeks get warmer. She fidgeted with the box in her hands, falling silent. He raised an eyebrow at her and observed her curiously.

“What’s up with you? You’re being weirder than usual.”

“And you’re as rude as usual,” she retorted, finally finding the courage to go through with it. “I got you something,” she said and held the box out to him.

“Oh? What could that be?” He took the little box and opened the lid, staring at its content. His lips parted and silence fell over the room. When his eyes met hers, they reflected surprise that soon changed to amusement. “I should have expected it,” he chuckled lowly, taking out a delicate silver chain and weighing it in his hand.

“I… I just thought since you lost your other one… and you never got a new one,” she said, watching him put it on just like he always wore it.

“Thanks, Minji,” he said, and for once he looked happy, the brightness of his eyes catching her off guard. His flirty grin had her heart flutter in her chest and she blushed, unable to take her gaze off him. 

* * *

Happy that her surprise had been a success, Minji was in a good mood for the rest of the evening. She had gone to the bathroom to take a shower earlier, and now she was drying her hair, pulling it up in a bun. Wrapping a towel around herself, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror, smiling brightly.

As she looked in the mirror, she saw movement and suddenly she stared in the eyes of a stranger that had appeared out of thin air, standing next to her. He looked just as surprised as her, his piercing eyes widening a fraction.

Stumbling back, she slipped on the tiles and landed hard on the ground, clutching her towel that almost opened. Pain flared through her back. She cursed and screeched loudly, grabbing a bar of soap that she threw at the intruder. He wasn’t sure if he should shield himself or cover his ears and ended up standing motionless, staring at her like she had lost it. Minji grabbed a shampoo bottle and tossed it at him. Next, she got her hands on a bath duck and threw it at his head with all the force she could muster. It made a squish sound when it hit him.

“Get ooouut! You creep!” she screamed. Without warning, the door was ripped open by a furious Baëkhyun whose eyes widened at the scene in front of him. Minji’s towel had slipped up and revealed a dangerous amount of skin, and it was very obvious who was responsible for all this. Light flashed and struck the intruder that cursed at Baëkhyun.

“It’s not what it looks like!” he defended himself.

“H-He tried to peep!” she yelled agitatedly.

“I’m going to kill you, Kāi,” Baëkhyun threatened and came closer, but Kāi suddenly vanished into thin air, and Minji and Baëkhyun were alone.

“Huh? Where did he go?” she asked suspiciously. “Who was that pervert?”

Baëkhyun sighed annoyedly and ran a hand through his hair, the anger in his eyes gradually fading. “It was one of my friends… he has the bad habit to appear at the stupidest of times…” he grumbled. “Get dressed before he comes back, okay?”

She nodded and he left the bathroom. Hastily, she put on her clothes, looking around paranoidly until she was finally done. Just at this moment, the doorbell rang and she heard Baëkhyun walk off to the front door. She heard muffled voices and got curious, leaving the bathroom to enter the hallway where she discovered three men, all dressed in very fancy clothes. One of them was the green-haired pervert, Kāi, who she glared at with a vengeance.

“You!” she hissed, pointing at him.

“Me?” he said, gaping at her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to barge in like that. I didn’t see anything.”

“You saw _enough_ ,” Baëkhyun hissed.

“Damnit Kāi, we just wanted to come over for a friendly visit…” the one with black hair nagged. “I told you not to teleport!”

“Who even are you?” she asked.

“I’m Chën,” the black-haired demon said. “That’s Chanyeøl and you’re acquainted with Kāi already. Taëmin told us something very interesting about you guys.” He grinned mischievously, his eyes moving back and forth between her and Baëkhyun who still wasn’t over his anger. He looked pissed.

“I should have known Taëmin and Taeyøng wouldn’t keep their mouths shut…”

“Now that you’re here, we might as well go into the living room?” Minji suggested and they entered her flat, walking down the hallway and into the living room. They looked around curiously, spotting Mochi that carefully peered around the corner, obviously not sure if they were safe to be around. Minji smiled and picked it up, carrying it to the sofa where she sat down next to Baëkhyun. The three visitors sat down on the sofa opposite them.

“What brings you here?” she asked, stroking the cat’s back.

“We wanted to meet you, Minji,” Chën said. “But Kāi ruined it with his dumb teleportation shit. I tell you, whenever he randomly appears somewhere it ends in chaos.”

“You’re just jealous you can’t do it,” the green-haired demon shot back with a snicker. He seemed to be a trickster, not the serious type of person. Minji couldn’t help but notice the peculiar clothes he and the others wore. While Chanyeøl seemed to like black leather, Chën sported a bright red suit, and Kāi apparently liked showing off his abs. Minji blushed and redirected her gaze somewhere else, but she wasn’t fast enough.

“Like what you see?” Kāi teased, getting her even more flustered.

“I’ll throw you out in two seconds if you go on my nerves any longer.” Baëkhyun was livid at this point, glaring at the mischievous demon so hard that she was surprised he didn’t catch fire under his burning stare.

“We’re not here to steal his girl, Kāi,” Chanyeøl chuckled, nudging his friend who laughed.

“Yeah, yeah. I know that.”

The blush on her cheeks darkened and she avoided their amused stares by lowering her head. What did he mean, his girl? They weren’t even a couple or anything, but these demons seemed to have the entirely wrong idea. She didn’t know what Taëmin and Taeyøng had told them, but she wouldn’t put it past the cheeky demons to add spice to the story.

“How did you survive living with this idiot for so long?” Chanyeøl asked her. His bicolored eyes looked scary to her, but since he didn’t seem intent on hurting her, she was quick to dismiss the thought.

“I have no idea, really. He is incredibly rude,” she sighed, shaking her head.

“What the fuck? You should ask _me_ how I survived with _her_!” Baëkhyun cut in, exasperatedly throwing his arms up. “She’s in need of constant babysitting and she even cuts her fingers ON FUCKING PAPER! And don’t get me started on that time she fell over the coffee table!”

She pouted and glared at him, momentarily stopping to stroke the cat that looked up at her and meowed. “You’re making it sound like I’m an idiot.”

“That’s because you are! Don’t you remember when you fell off your bed and hit your head against the nightstand?”

She blushed in mortification, hearing the demons chuckle. “D-Don’t mention that! It was only an accident!”

“Ah, yes. An accident,” he drawled. “Just like when you tried to remove the broken light bulb in the kitchen and stumbled off the ladder.”

“S-Shut up!”

“If I hadn’t caught you, you would have broken your neck.”

“I’m not that fragile, you ass!” she yelled in embarrassment. Her cheeks were still bright red since the bastard didn’t give her a second to breathe.

“You totally are!” he countered. “Humans are like dayflies; they die in a blink.”

“Did you just compare me to an _insect_?” she screeched, her eyes wide and angry. “Listen, Mister, that was the last straw! This will have serious consequences!”

“Oh? Do you expect me to be scared now?” he chuckled lowly. “You know who’s the stronger one here.”

“I have my ways to manipulate you!”

His eyes darkened as he leaned closer to her, their noses almost touching. She gulped, suddenly forgetting everything she wanted to say, overwhelmed by his piercing gaze. His alluring scent washed over her, flustering her. She completely forgot about their audience (that was having the time of their life), only having eyes for the white-haired demon.

“Looks like you’re the one that is easily manipulated,” he said huskily, almost kissing her but then suddenly pulling away. She gaped at him, needing a second to recover before she reacted to his provocative words.

“Baëkhyun!” she grumbled, hitting his shoulder.

“Awww, they’re so in love,” Chën snickered and exchanged amused glances with his friends.

“We’re not!” they shouted at the exact same time, eliciting laughs from the three demons.

“Sure, of course not. That’s _exactly_ why you’re living together and why you’re bonded,” Kāi chimed in. “I can see why he has chosen you, I mean… your body is hot…”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence because a certain white-haired demon shot a laser at him, striking him in the chest. Kāi coughed, his yellow crop top singed and burned. “Someone is angry today,” he commented with a provocative smirk.

“Can’t you guys behave?” Minji mumbled.

“That’s right. Kāi, you can’t say stuff like that to an innocent human,” Chanyeøl said with a cheeky smile and a wink in Minji’s direction.

“Are you only here to get on my nerves?” Baëkhyun grumbled, rolling his eyes.

“No, not at all,” Chën replied before he unexpectedly went serious, a darker tone appearing in his eyes. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, watching Minji thoughtfully. “After Taëmin told us about you, we thought we should warn you.”

“Why?” Baëkhyun asked sharply.

“We heard some rumors from other demons this past week. Apparently, some of them… the ones that hate humans, are banding together. They want to seek out demons that are bonded to humans and kill them. It sounded serious and we wanted to make sure you are aware of it. Right now, it doesn’t seem like they know about you two, but that might change.”

Minji shuddered, cuddling Mochi close to her chest.

“Someone has to be the mastermind behind all this, but we don’t know who,” Chanyeøl continued to explain. “It might be the demon who killed Lůhan.”

“We are going to keep you updated on this,” Chën said and stared at the ceiling in deep thought. “I’m afraid they might try to harm you, Minji.”

Knowing that she was an easy kill for a demon made her fear surge, unease creeping over her.

“They can try all they want. I’ll just kill them first,” Baëkhyun snarled lowly.

“I knew you would say that,” Kāi grinned. “But don’t underestimate them. Wouldn’t want this pretty girl to get hurt.” He sent a flirty wink in Minji’s direction, causing her to flush.

“Can you shut up?” Chanyeøl said and hit the back of his head. “Baëkhyun is about to explode.”

“Oops.”

Minji turned her head to glance at him, seeing his eyes turn scarlet red like blood. His hands formed fists and his posture was so tense that she wouldn’t be surprised if he ripped Kāi’s head off within the next minute. She gnawed on her lower lip, not liking this. If this idiot lost his mind, he could seriously damage her flat. How should she ever pay for that?

“Baëkhyun, just ignore him. There are more important things to worry about right now.”

“I can’t help it, Kāi is so damn annoying,” he complained.

“Hey, don’t pretend I’m not here, I can hear you!” said demon nagged, earning himself a sinister stare from Baëkhyun. Minji grabbed a pillow from the sofa and tossed it at Kāi who evaded at the last second, the pillow flying over his head. He laughed amusedly.

“Damn, you’re a feisty one. Are you sure you don’t want to spend the night with me?” he tried again, smirking seductively.

“That’s it. You’re dead!” Baëkhyun snarled, getting up abruptly. Kāi disappeared and reappeared in the hallway, the other demon chasing him down with a terrifying roar. Before Minji could react, they were out the door, running off god-knows-where. She could only look after them with a raised eyebrow, unable to understand how they could rile each other up so much. Typical demons…

“Does this usually happen?” she asked Chanyeøl and Chën who laughed their asses off.

“Yes, all the time. They bicker pretty often, but they’re close friends so it’s never too serious. This time, though… I think Kāi overstepped a boundary,” Chën smirked widely.

“Baëk is unexpectedly protective of you. You’re a cute couple,” Chanyeøl grinned amusedly.

“Oh, no no. You have it all wrong,” she replied nervously. “We’re not a couple.”

“Y-You’re not? Could have fooled me,” Chën sputtered in disbelief. “But why are you bonded?”

“It was an accident, we never wanted it. As soon as we find a way to break the bond, we’re going to do it,” she admitted, lowering her head to look at the ground. They were silent for a moment, exchanging an astonished glance.

“But you seem happy with him,” Chanyeøl replied while Chën looked conflicted. “That much is easy to see.”

“You must be imagining things,” she mumbled and looked up to see them observing her with mixed feelings.

“I don’t think so,” Chën grinned. “There is something between you, whether you want to admit it or not.”

“By the way, another one of our friends would like to meet you too… he just didn’t have time right now,” Chanyeøl said.

“Who?”

“His name is Suhø. He’s a chill guy, unless you get on his bad side,” Chanyeøl said and shuddered. “I need to remember not to make him angry again when I set something on fire.”

“You’re a fire demon,” Minji concluded and saw him nod. “How many other elements are there?”

“Uh… There is water, wind, ice, thunder, light, darkness, earth and plants,” Chanyeøl listed. “Yeah, that’s everything.”

Their conversation was rudely interrupted when Kāi suddenly reappeared, standing on the coffee table. “Oh, wait. That was too far to the left,” he mumbled and jumped down to sit on the sofa. He looked like he had run a mile, his hair was all messed up and his jacket was covered with various burn marks of all sizes.

“There you are!” Baëkhyun yelled, running back into the living room. He was panting hard, obviously having had trouble chasing Kāi down since he could teleport. Bright light gathered in his palm and his eyes glowed ominously.

“Stop!” Minji screamed and jumped up, right in his way. He flinched, surprise written all over his face at her sudden outburst.

“What?” he snapped. “I haven’t made him pay yet.”

“You can’t destroy the house! I will drown in debts if you do!”

He rolled his eyes. “All humans care about is money.”

“If you don’t stop right now, I won’t make strawberry cake anymore,” she threatened with dark eyes and saw him pause.

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh yes, I would.”

An inhumane growl escaped his throat and his eyes flashed, but then he sighed and the reddish hue in them disappeared altogether.

“I’m glad we’re finally agreeing on something,” she smiled and turned around to sit down. She remembered that they hadn’t been alone in the room and looked in the faces of three incredibly amused demons with wide grins on their lips.

* * *

On Monday morning, Minji was sitting in Yixing’s office with Baëkhyun and she couldn’t be happier since he had good news for her; she was about to write one of the biggest articles of her life, one that many people looked forward to.

“Judging by the way you’re looking at me, you’re okay with it?” Yixing asked.

“Yes, definitely!” she grinned. “Thanks so much for this opportunity!”

He laughed. “Well, you have earned it. Your work is always impeccable and since you also dealt with that vampire, I thought you deserved this.”

“Hey, I dealt with the vampire! She was just the bait,” Baëkhyun grumbled and crossed his arms, a dark look overtaking his features.

“And for letting her play bait, I should murder you,” Yixing smiled, but his voice was ice cold and sent a shiver down Minji’s back.

“Can we get back to the topic, please?” Minji cut in, her curiosity overflowing. Baëkhyun snorted and glared at the other demon, but thankfully he shut his mouth. “What’s the task you spoke of?”

“Of course,” Yixing said, taking a look at the folder on his desk. “You will interview the new CEO of Wang Enterprises. He recently took over after his father retired.”

“Are we talking about Jackson Wang? _That_ Jackson Wang?” she yelled, jumping up and putting her hands on the desk excitedly. Her eyes were sparkling since this was a chance she had never gotten before. Yixing chuckled while Baëkhyun looked at her like she had lost her marbles.

“The fuck is wrong with you?” he asked. Minji shot him a dirty look but didn’t lose her excitement.

“Yes, that’s exactly the person I’m talking about,” Yixing confirmed and she couldn’t hold in a little squeal.

“Oh my god, Jisoo will be so jealous when she hears about this,” she giggled. “Thank you so much, Yixing!”

“What’s going on?” Baëkhyun cut in, more than a little disgruntled.

“I’m not surprised you haven’t heard of him,” Minji said and rolled her eyes at his ignorance. “Jackson has been working as a model for his father’s fashion brand. He’s absolutely talented and I’m so excited to meet him! And now that he is the CEO of the company, he’s probably busy which means I got really lucky to be able to interview him.”

Baëkhyun just clicked his tongue and glared out the window, not understanding what was so great about a model, a human, no less. Yixing hid a mischievous grin at his surly reaction before his attention moved back to Minji.

“You should prepare questions before the meeting with him, and make sure you also ask some things that our female readers would like to know about,” he said and winked at her.

“Oh, I definitely will!” she said and glanced at the grumpy demon next to her. “Just to make things clear, you will _not_ accompany me.”

“And why would I listen to a weak little human?” he growled, glaring at her with a weird gleam in his eyes.

“Baëkhyun!” Yixing cut in. “You won’t go with her, you would totally ruin it! This is important – the newspaper and our website will receive a ton of attention from this.”

“Like I care,” Baëkhyun spat.

“I already expected you to say something like that,” Yixing retorted. “And that is why we will go on a little trip to hell while Minji is busy. There is something I want you to help me with.”

“Why should I?” the white-haired demon countered.

“Because it concerns your and Minji’s safety.”

Now Yixing finally had his attention which came in the form of a smoldering glare. “Explain,” he hissed, but Yixing looked at him pointedly.

“Later.”

“Do I need to worry about something?” Minji cut in, smiling nervously.

“No, you don’t. Just leave this to us and concentrate on the interview,” Yixing said and smiled reassuringly, but he couldn’t fully convince her since she had seen the look that both demons had exchanged. Something seemed to be wrong… and for some reason, Yixing didn’t want to involve her.


	14. His Obsession

Minji stood in front of the towering building belonging to Wang Enterprises and nervously looked up at it. She had driven to Gangnam today and she was looking forward to meeting Jackson in person, but she was also damn scared to mess this up. A lot depended on this interview, and she honestly wondered why Yixing had given her the task since he had other, more experienced journalists working for him. Nonetheless she was grateful for the opportunity.

Since Jackson’s schedule was very packed, he and Yixing had agreed on two short interviews instead of a long one which meant that she would get to meet him twice—a fact that made her nervous and giddy at the same time. Being able to talk to one of her biggest idols was something she had never thought possible. She would need to pull herself together in there to keep from screaming like a lovesick schoolgirl…

As she entered through the glass doors, she found herself in a large lobby filled with people and walked up to the reception desk. The woman she talked to explained to her where she needed to go and handed her a visitor’s pass that would enable her to get past the security guards.

Minji felt jittery as she took the lift to the 18th floor where his office was supposed to be. For this occasion, she had picked elegant clothing—a light-pink colored dress with short sleeves, suited to the warm summer weather. She had put her hair in a bun and added a bit of make-up.

When she came to stand in front of another secretary desk, she had to wait for a moment before she got permission to enter Jackson’s office. All this formal stuff made her even more nervous. Her trembling fingers clutched her purse as she walked on to enter the office where she was greeted by the man she had so often seen on magazine covers. It was unreal to stand in front of him now, and her heart fluttered when she saw his charming smile. Jackson was in his late twenties and had black hair that was neatly combed. He wore a dark blue suit that fit him perfectly. She blushed when she realized that she was staring and finally remembered that she still had to introduce herself.

“Hello Mr. Wang. My name is Lee Minji, I’m the journalist who was sent here by Mr. Zhang,” she said politely.

“Nice to meet you. I’m glad we found time for this,” he smiled and gestured for her to take a seat on the sofa. His office was large, offering enough space for a seating area in front of a wide windowpane that allowed a breathtaking view over Gangnam.

“You can call me Jackson, by the way. Mr. Wang makes me feel so old,” he said with a chuckle.

“Alright, then please call me Minji,” she replied and took out her notes to begin the interview. She was very nervous at first and also a little shy, blushing bright red whenever she saw him smile (that happened a lot). Her behavior wasn’t exactly professional, but she couldn’t help herself… she was a huge fan of him and a part of her still couldn’t believe that she was speaking to him. It could have been a dream!

He was very charming and kind, surprising Minji when he answered all of her questions honestly and without beating around the bush like she was used to from other celebrities. As time went on, she began to feel more confident around him and sneaked in one or two questions that she was personally interested in. “Do you have any pets?” she wanted to know, leaning forward curiously.

Jackson nodded and grinned enthusiastically. “Yes, I do! Actually I’m glad you asked,” he said and pulled his smartphone from his pocket. “It’s a cute dog, I’ll show you a photo of him.”

It was a golden retriever with big brown eyes that had his tongue hanging out on the picture. Minji giggled, finding the dog incredibly adorable. “What’s his name?”

“Bob.”

“B-Bob?” she repeated and fought hard to hold in a chuckle. Jackson looked dead serious about it, so she tried not to laugh even though the name sounded really funny to her.

“Why does everyone react weirdly when I tell them the name?” he suddenly sputtered, throwing his arms up in exasperation. Minji gaped at his sudden outburst. “What’s wrong with Bob?”

She cracked and began to giggle, hiding her mouth behind her hand. “It’s a beautiful name! You were so creative when you thought of it!”

“Thanks!” he said happily and beamed at her, but then he fell silent for a moment and tilted his head. “Wait! Was that sarcasm just now?”

“N-No, I was serious!”

“Really?” When he looked at her with piercing eyes, she blushed yet again, nervously holding on to her notebook.

“Of course, Bob is a great name for a dog.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear,” Jackson answered, looking pleased. “Do you have a pet too?”

“Uhhh… yes, actually I do…” she answered, not sure if it counted as a pet or not. “I have a cat called Mochi.”

“M-Mochi?” he repeated and raised his eyebrows. “You’re laughing about Bob’s name when your cat is literally named after a snack?”

She giggled, only now realizing that Mochi’s name was kind of weird. “You have a point there,” she answered.

“And how do you even deal with a cat on a daily basis? They’re so sassy and huge snobs,” Jackson said, his lips twitching in amusement.

“Those are just clichés. Mochi is nice and loves cuddles!” Minji said, smiling when she thought of her little demon pet.

Needless to say, the rest of the interview went very well since they got along great. Minji was able to gather a ton of information about Bob, and not so much information about Jackson himself, but she had a lot of fun and made a mental note to ask more about him next time. Hopefully, the fans would appreciate reading an interview where he almost endlessly talked about his pet but knowing them, they would love anything he said, no matter what it was.

When the interview neared its end, she thanked him, already looking forward to the following meeting in a few days. “Thank you again for making time,” Minji said and he returned her smile, his eyes sparkling in mirth.

“No problem at all. I’d say we both had a lot of fun,” he chuckled. “See you soon, Minji!”

* * *

Minji walked to the lift and pressed the button to go back down. As the doors opened, she stepped inside, not really paying attention to the other person that was already here. She had her eyes fixed on the ground and was smiling contently, thinking about the interview. Jackson had been even nicer than she had imagined and she was glad that she got to meet him. She needed to thank Yixing again later!

A sudden painful stinging coming from her wrist tore her from her thoughts and that was when she finally looked up, gaze falling on the other person in the lift. Her eyes widened in disbelief, shock, fear. She stumbled back and hit the wall of the lift. Struggling to keep her composure, she clung to the metal handrail, not daring to say a single word. An old fear consumed her, dragged her down into a deep hole.

“Is that you, Minji?” he said, sounding exactly like he did when she had last seen him years ago. His voice alone was enough to trigger something dark within her mind. She was taken back in time to a day she had tried so hard to forget.

A memory flashed before her eyes. She saw him looming over her, a bloody knife in his hand. He had used it to cut her arm, and only seconds later he had punched her mercilessly, cracking one of her ribs. She could barely get any air into her body, the pain overwhelming her. With every breath she took, her ribs seemed to constrict around her lungs. Her eyes became wet with tears that soon spilled over. Desperately, she used her hand to cover the deep cut he made with the knife, blood coating her fingers. He left her bleeding in her car, and she had struggled to find the strength to reach their shared flat on her own. That had been the first time she had feared for her life in his presence and it would not be the last.

“Hey, are you deaf?” he asked condescendingly, his icy eyes taking the life from her body. Her happiness evaporated like steam—she was petrified, couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. Her mind turned on her and kept showing her pictures she never wanted to see again.

She was laying on the ground, clutching her stomach after he had attacked her ruthlessly. It hurt so so much and she could hardly take it anymore. What had begun as a harmless argument had turned into something much worse, with him assaulting and punching her. Her body ached badly, but she couldn’t bring herself to cry. Her tears had dried a long time ago. She was numb. With every hit, she got closer to giving up. She had stopped fighting back a long while ago, knowing that it only made things worse. Eventually, he lost interest in her and left her laying on the kitchen floor. That was how Jisoo and Chaeyoung found her when they came over to check on her after she didn’t pick up her phone. It was the day Minji finally opened up to them and gathered the courage to involve the police.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder had her come back to reality, and she faced Dongmin, her ex who had tormented her for months before they had finally broken up. She had cut him out of her life with great difficulty and she never expected to see him again.

“You’re still the same pathetic girl as before, huh? Can’t even speak to me properly,” Dongmin sneered and she bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. Her grip on the handrail of the lift tightened until it became painful.

“Don’t touch me,” she forced out, only to see him smirk at her.

“Will you call the cops on me again? That worked _really_ well last time,” he chuckled lowly. She knew exactly what he was talking about and just thinking about it caused her anger and desperation to rise. He had bribed the officers who had shown up at their flat; she had called them for nothing. The bastards hadn’t done a thing to help her and after that she had never found the courage to involve the police again until Chaeyoung and Jisoo had accompanied her to the police station.

But it turned out that not even the damn restraining order could keep him away from her. He shouldn’t be anywhere near her and yet he had the audacity to touch her. His hand on her shoulder was like a weight that pulled her down. Her fear rose even higher and swallowed her up. A tremble ran through her body, her eyes clouding with tears.

“You’re so pitiful. Is crying the only thing you ever do?” he whispered, leaning closer to her until their faces almost touched. She distanced herself, moved back until her head collided with the wall behind her. “How old are you now? 24? You should be ashamed.”

“G-Get away from me!” she breathed, terror flashing through her eyes. Her fear controlled her. She was trapped in this damn lift and couldn’t run, couldn’t hide. The walls closed in on her and breathing suddenly took a lot of effort.

“When did I ever listen to you?” he retorted. “Why did you show up here? Must have missed me after all this time.”

Something in her shattered. Cracks formed in the high wall she had built around her fragile heart and all the fear and anguish she had locked away for so long came spilling out. Her emotions overwhelmed her. She was flooded by a stifling sorrow that she had never truly shaken off.

Dongmin’s smirk was disdainful; he looked pleased at her reaction. Minji couldn’t take glancing at him. He still kept his black hair slicked back, still appeared like a successful businessman on the outside with his elegant suit, but appearances were deceiving. His heart was tainted and held no space for empathy or kindness. He was simply evil, she couldn’t describe him any other way.

The lift stopped unexpectedly and its doors slid open. Dongmin annoyedly clicked his tongue when he saw another office worker enter. He quickly let go of Minji and left the lift. Turning around to her, he grinned arrogantly and held her gaze until the doors closed.

“See you, Minji,” was the last thing he said.

Even after the lift had moved on, she couldn’t get over the encounter with him.

She had needed so much time to get over him, and now he came back and just ruined everything within five minutes. He hadn’t needed longer to wreck her completely. She took a deep breath, trying to fill her lungs with air, but she was suffocating. The panic hit her with full force. All the terrible memories came back at once and whirled through her mind, tormenting her until her surroundings blurred and the walls closed in on her. She was _trapped_. She couldn’t get away, she couldn’t run. Black dots appeared in her vision. She couldn’t take it anymore. It was too much. She barely heard the shocked cry of the other person in the lift when her knees gave in. 

* * *

“You two are meaning to tell me that this bastard belongs to _them_?” Baëkhyun asked agitatedly, glaring at Taeyøng who nodded at him. Läy looked down at the demon who kneeled on the floor in front of them. His hands were shackled and his body beaten up, but he still stared at the other three with defiance in his eyes.

They were in hell—in one of the lowest and most dangerous parts. Surrounded by cliffs and sharp rocks, the plane they stood on was rather bleak. Far away, the burning pits of purgatory could be seen, hot flames reaching up towards the starless night sky. Distant wails of tortured souls resounded around the demons, but nobody was bothered by them.

“Sehůn told me that he caught him trying to sneak into Jangmi’s and his flat,” Läy explained. “He brought him here so we could interrogate him in his stead since he didn’t want to leave Jangmi alone for too long.”

“He was after them because of their bond,” Baëkhyun concluded and scowled. “How did he find out?”

“We don’t have a clue. It’s possible he saw Jangmi’s mark… or maybe he heard it from someone,” Taeyøng muttered. “I couldn’t get him to talk, but maybe you will have more luck.”

“Sounds like we’re going to have some fun,” Baëkhyun grinned sinisterly and kicked the demon hard in his side, making him heave. “Who are you working with?” he asked but didn’t receive an answer. Bright light struck the demon, burning his skin. He cursed, but his defiant glare never wavered.

“I’m rather impatient,” Baëkhyun snarled and snapped his fingers to shoot another beam of light at him, tearing his skin open. Blood spilled and the demon wheezed in agony. He gritted his teeth, still not saying a word.

“We can do this all day, but the more impatient I get, the more painful it will be for you,” Baëkhyun said, smirking evilly at the demon’s agony. “You wanted to kill one of my friends, and I tend to hold grudges, so it is only natural that I have a bone to pick with you.”

“F-Fuck you. I won’t tell you shit,” the demon swore, breathing narrowly from all the pain. Some blood ran down from the corner of his mouth, dripping down on the stony ground.

“Are you sure?” Baëkhyun drawled and light struck him like knives, tearing and ripping at his skin, prompting him to scream.

Taeyøng pursed his lips and turned away, not liking the messy scene since he preferred to keep things clean—he had never been a fan of torture. Läy on the other hand watched them with steely eyes, not once looking somewhere else. Just like Baëkhyun, he was livid and ready to do anything to find out who this demon was working with. Sehůn and Jangmi needed to be safe, no matter the cost. The same applied to all of Läy’s friends and so he didn’t have a problem with Baëkhyun’s violent approach.

However, when they didn’t get any results even after hours of doing this, the usually patient Läy was close to losing his nerves. He kept shifting his weight from one leg to the other, glowering at the demon who was more dead than alive at this point. It seemed to be a fruitless undertaking… they wouldn’t find out who the demon worked with even if they killed him, and Baëkhyun had realized this as well.

The white-haired demon suddenly paused and froze, not moving anymore as he stared into space. Taeyøng and Läy exchanged a confused glance, expecting him to say something, but he didn’t. They were starting to get worried, not paying attention to the unconscious demon on the ground any longer. A frown appeared on Baëkhyun’s face and his brow furrowed.

“What is it?” Läy asked.

“Something is wrong,” Baëkhyun said. He hardly listened to his friend, concentrating on something else that Läy and Taeyøng couldn’t perceive. 

“What do you mean?” Taeyøng asked, unable to understand what was going on.

“I think something… is happening to Minji. I don’t know… I’m sensing danger,” he mumbled and touched his chest. “She’s in pain.”

His face darkened further as he concentrated on his connection with her, feeling an emotion that was like a stab to his heart. He had experienced her psychological pain often already, but never like this. It scared him. He was overcome by urgency, knowing he had to do something.

“I have to go back.”

Läy and Taeyøng stared at him with wide eyes, taking in the sinister look on his face. “I will accompany you,” Läy said, already opening a portal.

“Fine,” Baëkhyun replied impatiently.

“I’ll take care of the rest, don’t worry about the demon,” Taeyøng said seconds before they vanished.

* * *

When Minji regained consciousness, she laid on a soft mattress and stared up at a white ceiling. Blinking confusedly, she looked around but didn’t recognize her surroundings. Was she in a hospital? But why? She took a deep breath as the memories came back and she recalled her unexpected encounter with her ex. Fear creeped into her hear, but she tried her best to stay calm. She didn’t need another panic attack right now.

Someone in the building must have called an ambulance for her. How embarrassing – she must have fainted in the lift! Minji couldn’t believe her bad luck. The day had started out well, the interview had been a dream come true and she had been happy, but then everything was destroyed within seconds. Minji would have never guessed that Dongmin worked for Wang Enterprises now.

She should have known that she wouldn’t be able to avoid the bastard forever; and she also should have known that he didn’t give a shit about that restraining order. Maybe she should call the police about that…

Suddenly, she heard a ruckus outside. There were muffled shouts and curses, but she didn’t understand the words until the people came closer to the door of her room.

“Calm down, you can’t be here! It’s not allowed,” a nurse yelled nervously and Minji wondered what was going on.

“Get out of my way before I kill you,” a familiar voice hollered.

“S-Stop!”

“How dare you, lowly human! Do you want to go to hell?”

“W-What are you even talking about?”

“This is your last warning, human. If you don’t let me through this instant, you are going to regret it!”

Minji snorted at the tantrum the demon was throwing just outside her door. She rubbed her eyes and held in an exhausted yawn. At this point she was only waiting for him to break down the door or something. It couldn’t take long.

And she was right, the nurse seemed to have given up now because the door opened and closed with a bang and she saw Baëkhyun sighing deeply. His hair was tousled and looked like he had been in a hurry, while his heaving shoulders only added to it. He lifted his head and their eyes met.

“There you are!” he yelled agitatedly and walked up to the bed. “What happened? You scared the shit out of me!”

Minji hesitated and avoided to look at him. “I’m not sure… I guess I fainted?” she mumbled.

“You _fainted_?” he repeated in disbelief. “Are you humans so weak that you just fall over?”

“Not really,” she said and hoped that he would give her some space. She wasn’t ready for an argument after the shock of seeing Dongmin. When she looked at Baëkhyun, her eyes were instantly drawn to suspicious dark red stains on the ends of his grey sleeves. Those hadn’t been there when he had left this morning, she was sure of it. What had he done while they were separated? Did she even want to find out?

“Baëkhyun… why do you have blood on your clothes? A-And on your hair?” she whispered horrified.

He looked at his sleeves and rolled his eyes, uttering, “Damn, I thought I washed it all off.”

“What did you do?” she asked hysterically, the pitch of her voice rising higher, until it sounded like a screech.

“Nothing, this is just ketchup. I… got some food with Läy earlier.”

“ _Ketchup_. Do you think I’m a child? I know what blood looks like,” she whispered nervously. Did he murder someone while she didn’t pay attention? She tended to forget this sometimes, but he was a demon, and it was in a demon’s nature to kill and destroy. They were unpredictable and ending a life came as easy to them as it was for her to breathe air. She raked a hand through her messy black hair, gritting her teeth while she tried her best to stay calm. This wasn’t something she wanted to deal with right now. She had enough on her plate with Dongmin already, she didn’t need an unruly demon to make it worse.

“What did you do, Baëkhyun? Where were you and Yixing?” she asked, the pleading look in her eyes catching him off guard. She looked ready to fall over again, her face ashen and fingers trembling as they clutched the blanket.

“We took care of something in hell. Demon business. I didn’t kill anyone, though,” he said truthfully. Her posture relaxed, shoulders sinking down a fraction.

“That’s a relief,” she breathed.

He scrutinized her with a dark look in his eyes, attempting to find out what was going on with her. She wasn’t herself today, in fact, she had changed a lot after he had last seen her this morning. The woman on the bed appeared like a ghost of her former self and he didn’t understand how she could change so much in three or four hours. He regretted leaving her alone.

“You’re keeping something from me,” he said. “I doubt that you would just faint for no reason, I know that there’s more to it.”

“I was nervous because of the interview and everything,” she said evasively.

“Do you expect me to believe that? I have never felt such a painful emotion from you before. Don’t try to fool me, Minji!”

She fell silent and stared at the white blanket that covered her. Telling him about her encounter with Dongmin was the last thing she wanted. It would only lead to problems and not do anything to help her at all. However, one look in Baëkhyun’s blue eyes sufficed for her to know that he was stubborn about this. He wouldn’t let her off the hook easily, but right now she didn’t want to deal with all this. Heck, she had barely been awake for ten minutes and was already confronted with so much stress.

“You must have imagined it,” she mumbled quietly. The corners of his mouth turned down instantly and a dark scowl appeared on his face.

“I did not imagine it!” he countered, raising his voice at her.

“Baëkhyun, please. I can’t take this right now,” she whispered and closed her eyes tiredly. He didn’t reply and the ensuing silence made her wonder what he was thinking about. She heard his steps nearing the bed and lingering next to it. Unexpectedly, she felt the mattress shift and opened her eyes to see him sit close to her, watching her with furrowed brows. An emotion flickered through his eyes, but it was gone before she could name it.

“How did the interview go?” he asked, surprising her since she hadn’t expected him to change the topic himself. It was unlike him to listen to her. 

“It went well,” she said and smiled faintly. “I was glad that I could meet Jackson. He was really nice and answered all questions I had for him. I was a bit shy at first, but it was fine after a while. We got along great.”

“I take it you’re looking forward to the next interview, then,” he replied, leaning back and supporting himself with his arms as he looked at the ceiling with a hollow expression.

Minji froze and stared at him with wide eyes. _The next interview_. How could she have forgotten about that? She would have to go there again… and soon, too. The thought alone made her turn white as a sheet. She visibly cringed. This was very very bad… writing about Jackson and Wang Enterprises was a huge opportunity, and she didn’t want to let it slip just because her ex got in her way again. He couldn’t always ruin everything.

“I’m going to accompany you next time,” Baëkhyun suddenly said without even looking at her. His eyes were steely and slightly red.

Minji let out a breath and relaxed. “Thank you.”

His head snapped around and he looked at her with surprise written all over his face. “ _What_? I would have expected you to make a fuss over it.”

“Well, I’m not,” she mumbled.

“Strange,” he uttered, raising his eyebrows in suspicion. He knew that something was up, but he didn’t know what it was and it irked him. However, seeing how pale and tired she looked, he knew it wouldn’t be very wise to keep pushing her, so he reluctantly let it go for now.

“How long do you have to stay here?” he asked.

“How would I know? I just woke up… I’m guessing you chased everyone responsible away when you arrived earlier,” she said sarcastically.

“It was preposterous of those lowly humans to try and stand in my way!” he huffed. “They should be thankful I didn’t blast holes through their hearts.”

She gawked at him. “Um… don’t ever do that, please.”

He clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, muttering something about how weak humans were. The arrogant sneer on his lips was something she had gotten to see quite often already. “If you need a stupid nurse before you can leave, I’m going to get one for you,” he said and got up to walk to the door.

“Wait! At least be polite, okay? Don’t scare them,” she called after him, but she wasn’t sure if it would make a difference. He was gone in seconds and left her alone. Judging by the distant yelling she heard, he wasn’t exactly subtle about what she wanted. There was a commotion on the hallway and not long after, a nurse came into the room. She had a clipboard in her hand and kept sneaking glances at Baëkhyun who was walking after her. The woman was obviously scared and Minji felt bad for her since she knew all too well how creepy that demon could be.

“Lee Minji?” the nurse asked when she came to stand in front of the bed.

“Yes?”

“I was… informed t-that you just woke u-up,” she stuttered, visibly uncomfortable with Baëkhyun in the room. “Do you remember what happened? I was told you had a panic attack before you fainted.”

“Yes, that’s… what happened,” she answered with reluctance.

“Did you by any chance drink alcohol or take medication recently?”

“No.”

“Do you have a heart or a lung disease?”

“No,” Minji repeated.

“Does this kind of thing happen often?” the nurse asked and seemed slightly worried. She sent Baëkhyun a cautious glance before she went back to writing something on her clipboard.

“It hasn’t happened in a long time… and I haven’t fainted before either,” Minji answered, hoping to get this over with soon.

“Are you done asking questions?” Baëkhyun snapped impatiently, causing the nurse to wince. She almost let go of her clipboard when she was hit by his smoldering glare.

“I-I… um…” she stumbled over the sentence and forgot what she wanted to say, flinching back suddenly. “Y-Yes,” she squeaked and Minji had the strong suspicion that she just said it to get away from him sooner. “W-We will discharge you,” she said and hurried outside, her white coat flying after her.

* * *

“I thought that doctor would never shut up,” Baëkhyun grumbled as he followed Minji to the kitchen. They had finally reached their home after a doctor had stopped them just moments before they could leave the hospital. She had been worried about Minji’s state and given her the advice to rest for at least another day and to avoid stress. Lastly, she had thrown Baëkhyun a suspicious glance when he hadn’t stopped glaring at her. His impatience had even irked Minji at one point.

“You shouldn’t be so rude all the time,” she said and sat down at the table, leaning her chin on her hand. She was exhausted and wanted to lay down and sleep. There was just one problem; she doubted she would be able to sleep well considering everything that had happened today. Her thoughts kept circling around her encounter with Dongmin until she almost lost her mind. She kept seeing his face, his sneer, and felt his hand on her shoulder even though he was nowhere near her.

“You’re spacing out again,” she heard Baëkhyun say and moved her attention to him, raising her eyebrows.

“Did you say something?”

He sighed deeply and leaned against the kitchen counter. “I asked what you wanted to eat.”

“Oh, um… I don’t have an appetite,” she mumbled before she went back to staring at the table, her fingers drumming on its surface nervously.

“Minji, you aren’t getting away that easily. I may not be human myself, but I know that you need food to survive,” he grumbled. “You know what? I’m going to make something and you’re going to eat it.” He didn’t wait for an answer and got to work on whatever it was that he planned to make. She barely paid attention, just heard the clinking of dishes.

“Baëkhyun?” she finally asked when a sudden thought struck her.

“Hm?” he said without looking up from what he was doing.

“How did you know that I was in that hospital?” she asked curiously.

“Läy told me. A secretary who works for Wang Enterprises called him after you were sent to the hospital. She left a voicemail for him and that’s how I found out,” he answered.

“I see. So Yixing knows what happened…” she mumbled and frowned. Now she could only hope that he would not give the task of interviewing Jackson to someone else. She desperately wanted to finish the interview on the next meeting even if it meant going back to Dongmin’s workplace.

Minji was torn. A part of her wanted to run away and hide, never setting foot in there again, but the ambitious part of her refused to let this opportunity go. Who knew when she would get a chance like this again? Besides, Jackson himself had been very friendly, and they had gotten along well with each other. Dongmin was the only problem. Just like always. He kept ruining everything all the time!

Fifteen minutes later, after she had spaced out again, she was startled when suddenly a plate was placed in front of her. Looking up, she met Baëkhyun’s gaze. The red spots in his eyes unsettled her since they usually meant something bad, but she didn’t know what was going on with him.

“Eat,” he ordered with a hard voice when she kept staring at the plate. “You’re not getting around this. That doctor said you need food to keep up your strength.”

She widened her eyes, sitting up straight. “Y-You actually listened to her? I thought you ignored her,” she whispered in disbelief and picked up her chopsticks to start eating. He had made a simple rice dish, nothing special but nonetheless it tasted good.

Baëkhyun didn’t answer and sat down opposite her, watching her eat in silence. She felt his eyes on her, scrutinizing her and making her nervous. It seemed like he could see right through her – like he actually knew why she had fainted. Deep down she was aware that he didn’t know a thing, though, and that reassured her a bit. The last thing she wanted was to admit her weakness to him, especially since he always ranted about the fragility of humans… He most likely wouldn’t understand the problem anyways.

Even in front of her best friends Jisoo and Chaeyoung, Minij hadn’t been able to admit it. She hadn’t known how to deal with Dongmin’s constant abuse and since he always threatened her, she hadn’t found the courage to involve someone either. Only when her friends had found her on the kitchen floor, beaten and bloody, she had broken down and finally let it all out.

It was hard to talk about it and therefore she never mentioned her ex-boyfriend to anyone. Yixing had been the only exception so far.

When Minji finally emptied the plate, it had gotten late and her exhaustion caught up with her, making her yawn.

“Minji,” Baëkhyun suddenly said, prompting her to look up in his broody face. “Tell me what happened today.”

She winced and immediately avoided his piercing reddish eyes. “You already know.”

“No,” he said lowly and crossed his arms. “You still owe me something, remember?”

She remembered well and looked startled when he mentioned it. She felt like a deer caught in headlights, knowing that she couldn’t really refuse to tell him. He saved her friend’s life, so she had to uphold her part of the deal.

“But I want to use that favor some other time,” he continued and saw her relax. His eyes darkened. “What could be bad enough that you wouldn’t tell me, hm? I’m a demon, I’ve seen many things and I doubt you could shock me.”

“Maybe,” she whispered so quietly he barely heard her before she suddenly got up. “I’ll go to sleep. See you tomorrow.”

She fled the kitchen and literally ran into her bedroom, heaving a sigh after she had closed the door behind her. Finally she was alone. Finally she didn’t have to pretend anymore.

Sighing deeply, she let the neutral expression on her face slip away. She creased her forehead as she walked closer to the window and glanced outside, staring at the dark street below. Spotting an eerie apparition in the parking lot, she abruptly closed the curtains. That wasn’t something she could take right now.

Minji trudged to her wardrobe and changed into more comfortable clothes. She opened her ponytail and let her hair fall over her shoulders. Then she walked to her bed and laid down, pulling the blanket over herself. She stared at the dark ceiling with sad eyes, trying to push the memories of today far away, to the furthest end of her mind, but they always managed to find a way to come back. She continuously saw Dongmin in front of her, whether she closed her eyes or not.

He was a curse; possibly much worse than some demons despite being human. If she remembered how nice Taëmin and Taeyøng had been to her, it seemed like a joke that they were demons when Dongmin wasn’t. The longer she thought about him, the angrier she became.

It had been the worst mistake of her life to visit that party years ago; the one where she had met Dongmin. He had been nice at first, charming and helpful, wrapping her around his finger with ease. She had fallen head over heels for him and through her eyes, he had been perfect. Minji had not seen the signs until it had been too late. After she had moved in with him, he had gradually changed and shown his true face. She hadn’t been able to fathom how he could be so different all of a sudden and it had taken her too long to break up with him. If she could turn back time, she would just skip that damn party and never come in contact with the bastard, but life didn’t work like that.

Minji ended up tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep even though she was tired. She was tense and not calm enough to sleep. After hours of trying, she was ready to give up.

At some point during the night, Baëkhyun opened the door to her bedroom, letting faint light fall in. She turned her head to see two gleaming red eyes watch her. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

He walked in and closed the door behind him. “It can’t go on like this, Minji,” he replied and sat down next to her. “You have to sleep.”

“Maybe I don’t need sleep,” she mumbled and looked down at the blanket on her lap.

“The shadows beneath your eyes tell a different story,” he said. “I’ve been living with you for long enough to know that this isn’t normal, so don’t try to lie. What’s the matter with you?”

“I’m just restless.”

“I know there’s more to it,” he said persistently.

“Can’t you just let me be?” she pleaded, feeling her eyes start to burn.

“You know that I don’t give up easily,” he replied and inched closer to her, capturing her gaze with his mesmerizing scarlet eyes. “If you don’t want to talk about it now, then you should at least sleep. Staying awake all night isn’t an option here.”

“Fine, I’ll go to sleep,” she said stubbornly, still not wanting to spill her heart to him. She laid back down and turned on her side to watch him. “Are you happy now?”

“No. You’re still awake.” He moved closer and unexpectedly laid down next to her, studying her and moving some strands of her hair away from her face. “Close your eyes,” he whispered huskily.

She let out a breath and sighed. “I’m scared,” Minji admitted with reluctance.

“Why?” he asked, his fingers ghosting over her hair, hand coming to rest on her back as he put his arm around her waist. “There’s no reason.”

The smug smirk on his lips was the only warning she received before he did something she hadn’t seen coming. He tightened his embrace around her body and pulled her into him, so close that she ended up laying on his chest. Surprised, she glanced up at his face, but it was shrouded in darkness so she had no way to tell what he was thinking right now.

“Sleep,” he whispered quietly, his rough voice sending a shiver down her back. His hand moved over her head, caressing her hair. His touch was light as a feather—she hardly felt it, and yet it somehow helped in calming her down. She took a deep breath and relaxed her body, resting her head on his chest. As she snuggled up against him, she heard him chuckle amusedly, but he didn’t say anything about it. His warmth felt comforting and the steady beats of his heart were like a lullaby to her. She already started to feel groggy, and her eyes closed on their own. He shifted a little, embracing her with one arm and pulling the blanket over her with the other. Seconds before she fell asleep, she felt his lips on her temple, planting a soft kiss on her skin.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!
> 
> Jackson's cameo was so fun to write!! I was inspired by that interview where he mentioned he had a plant called Bob and it was apparently eaten by Youngjae's cat?? (GOT7 is wild LOL)
> 
> As you might have guessed already, the next few chapters will be a lot darker than the stuff I usually write. Some angst and drama for a change! You'll find out more about Minji's past too.  
> Despite all the drama in this chapter, I wanted to end it on a positive note with a little bit of fluff. We all love that, right?? :D
> 
> Have a nice day (or night? lol)!  
> ♡ Jessie
> 
> PS. I think I forgot to mention this, but I wrote a spinoff oneshot for this story. It's an angel AU, you can find it on my profile.


	15. Bittersweet

Minji somehow managed to sleep through the entire night until the next morning. When she woke up, she felt rested and not as exhausted as yesterday. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes, opening them to look at Baëkhyun who seemingly hadn’t budged an inch from his spot on the bed. Sometime during the night, she must have moved closer, and now her legs were tangled with his and her hand clutched his black shirt tightly. Blushing, she glanced up in his face to find him observing her.

“You’re up,” he commented. “Feeling better?”

She swallowed, being at a loss for words and hypnotized by the gorgeous blue of his eyes. His snow-white hair was a bit messy, fluffy strands hanging in his face. He looked handsome even after lazing around in bed all night. She only realized that she had been staring at him shamelessly when she saw his lips forming a smug smirk. The blush on her cheeks darkened and she cleared her throat, needing another moment to find her voice.

“Yeah, thanks for staying with me.”

“It was entertaining to watch you sleep,” he smirked cheekily and earned himself a nudge from her.

“Oh shut up, you’re sounding like a pervert,” she retorted, before she added, “Wait, that’s because you are!”

He gave a mock offended frown. “You’re hurting my feelings! I’m a very well-behaved demon.”

“Yes, your manners are _exceptional_ ,” she replied sarcastically, but nonetheless found herself smiling at him, seeing a cocky gleam appear in his eyes.

“That’s what I said, sugar,” he whispered, voice sounding rough and sending shivers down her spine. He shifted around a little until his lips were closer to her ear and she felt his breath touching her skin.

“I helped you fall asleep, now where is my reward for the hard work?” he drawled, his slightly suggestive tone revealing what he was thinking of. She blushed and became flustered, looking at him with wide eyes.

“What kind of reward?” she asked breathlessly as his hand moved teasingly over her waist.

“I think you already know,” he whispered, breathing a kiss on her neck. He was back to playing his games like she was already used to, but she couldn’t say that she minded. Right now, she was grateful for every little distraction she could get. She wanted to pretend that she was alright, just for a bit longer.

“Fine, you’ll get your reward,” she smiled, suddenly feeling bold. _Perhaps she could turn the tables and surprise him for a change._

Minji pushed herself up and shifted around on the bed, straddling her legs to sit on his toned stomach. He didn’t move and observed her curiously, waiting for what she would do. She buried one hand in his silky white hair while the other followed his silver chain over his cheekbone down to his jawline. She playfully tugged at the chain and saw his eyes darken with lust, but he still didn’t move and let her do whatever she wanted.

She bowed lower and lightly pecked his lips before she deepened the kiss. His touch lit a fire within her that made her thoughts go wild. They revolved solely around him and she forget about everything else. She parted her lips and their tongues connected, prompting him to growl lowly. His hands found their place on her back, pushing her closer to his body.

Minji was breathless when they ended the kiss, but she wasn’t done yet. Her eyes followed his sharp jawline and she ended up kissing the side of his neck. “Thank you,” she mumbled softly, not specifying what she meant, but he knew what she was talking about. Sighing quietly, he watched her with an indescribable expression in his eyes. When she moved back a bit, he sat up and tilted his head, biting his lower lip.

“You know… it’s really hard to hold back when you’re acting like this, sugar.”

She blushed. “Then don’t hold back,” she whispered, and his eyes flashed. He drew in a breath, and then she suddenly felt his lips on hers. He kissed her impatiently, taking the lead. She was embraced by his arms and her body melted, leaning into him. His teeth grazed her lower lip, making her want more. She shivered with desire, hearing him chuckle in amusement.

Eventually, he pushed her on her back and hovered over her, never once breaking the kiss. She was addicted to him and couldn’t get enough, craving his touch. However, there was a sudden coldness seeping into her body that threatened to snuff the fire in her out. She fought it down, trying her best to focus on Baëkhyun and nothing else, but her mind didn’t leave her alone. As soon as she felt his hands encase her wrists and his weight pushing her into the mattress, she tensed up and opened her eyes abruptly.

No, this couldn’t happen again. _Not_ _again_. She did her best to hide her trepidation, but it didn’t take long for him to catch on. He met her gaze and saw raw fear in it. His eyes narrowed and he ended the kiss, sitting up and letting go of her.

“I don’t think that was a good idea,” he said and frowned. She knew what he was referring to and couldn’t help but hate herself. Why did she have to be like this? Why couldn’t she just ignore her stupid fear? Tears of frustration pricked at her eyes and she held them back with some difficulty. The last thing she wanted was to start crying in front of _him_.

“I won’t push you away again. Just… go on,” she said too quickly and without thinking.

“There’s no need to force things,” he said calmly, his thumb moving over her cheek in a circular motion as he cupped her cheek with one hand. “It would be easier if you just told me what’s wrong. There has to be a reason why you are reacting this way.”

“Talking about it isn’t easy for me. It never is,” she sighed deeply and avoided looking at him. She pulled the blanket closer and hugged it to her chest. “Remember when I told you about my ex?” she whispered.

His eyes turned bloodred within a second and she winced. “Yes, I do,” he said in an icy cold tone, recalling what she and Läy had revealed to him. It hadn’t been much, but enough for him to know that her ex was despicable. “What happened? What did he do to you?”

Minji’s eyes dropped down on her legs. She felt torn about this, but she knew that it probably wasn’t reasonable to keep this from him. They were stuck together, so she could at least give him some insight...

“I was Dongmin’s girlfriend for around half a year. He was very charming at first and we got along well. I ended up moving in with him much too soon, after only knowing him for about two months. In hindsight, I should have never done that, but I was naïve and thought I had found the love of my life. I had no idea he had another side that he hadn’t shown me yet,” she explained with some difficulty. Her fingers kept fidgeting nervously with the blanket and she still couldn’t look at him. “Suddenly, he started to be violent with me. He hit me for the most insignificant reasons. One time he didn’t like the food I made and ended up punching me in the stomach. I had a bruise for a whole week and… and it hurt badly. Another time he… he was in the car with me and we had a small argument about something really stupid.” She stopped and swallowed, hugging herself as tears welled up in her eyes. “He broke my rib. It hurt so much, I-I couldn’t breathe properly for a long time. Whenever I tried to run or defend myself, he would only retaliate harder and hold me down while he beat me. I get very anxious when I’m in a position like that. Being trapped and unable to move always triggers my fear.”

She stopped and took a deep breath. Talking about it made her feel like a dam within her had been broken. Everything that she had kept to herself for so long came spilling out at once. It was overwhelming but also liberating to get it off her chest. Baëkhyun didn’t say anything for a while and the silence in her bedroom became tense.

When she finally gathered the courage to lift her head, she flinched. Terrifying red eyes glared at her; an aggressive scowl having appeared on his face. She felt a strange otherworldly power radiating from his body. “Baëkhyun?” she whispered unsurely.

“When I get my hands on him, he’ll wish he had never been born,” he snarled furiously. “Despicable piece of shit. Hell would be too good for him!”

She sighed and had to admit that she agreed with him, but his violent approach to things didn’t sit right with her. It made her uncomfortable. “Now you know,” she mumbled and wiped a tear from her eye. He took her chin in a gentle grip and tilted it up slightly, locking his red eyes with her brown ones.

“Don’t cry over him. He really isn’t worth it and he isn’t wort the pain in your heart either.”

“I know that, but it’s hard to turn off,” she said reluctantly. “If only all of this had never happened, but I guess there was no way to avoid it. My guardian angel must have done a shitty job at protecting me.”

He snorted, rolling his eyes. “Not every human is graced with a guardian angel and it seems like you went emptyhanded,” he said coldly, not liking to speak about angels. “But since we’re bonded now you would have lost yours anyways. Sinners don’t get divine protection.”

“O-Oh… I didn’t know that,” she said and looked even more defeated than before. How much bad luck could someone have?

“Even so, angels are boring, you wouldn’t want them around you. They always play by the rules, never having any fun. We demons are superior at literally _everything_ ,” he said haughtily. “And besides, don’t you think I’m so much better at this protection stuff than an angel? I think I’m doing great work here. It’s been over a month and you haven’t kicked the bucket yet.”

He looked extremely proud of himself and she couldn’t help but smile seeing his arrogant grin. This demon was too full of himself, and yet she found his behavior oddly amusing, sometimes even endearing. He wasn’t the perfect gentleman, actually he was far from it, but she was fond of him and had grown used to his shenanigans and snarky comments. She could hardly imagine living without him. Not all demons were entirely bad, she had learned that much so far.

He observed her for another moment, trying to read her. He was aware that she was in an unstable state right now; he could feel it. Cautiously and very slowly, he put his arms around her and embraced her loosely so she wouldn’t panic.

“Try to calm down now,” he whispered in her ear with his velvety voice. She leaned into him and curled her body up against his chest with his arms around her.

“Can we stay like this?” she mumbled in his shirt, her voice muffled, but he heard her regardless.

“I don’t mind,” he answered, leaning back to get comfortable. Since she had already closed her eyes, she never noticed the victorious smirk on his lips, and she didn’t see the red in his iris vanish either. 

The remained like this for a long while until Minji was starting to feel sleepy again. She kept her eyes closed and listened to his steady heartbeat, felt the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. If she hadn’t known better, she would have thought him to be human just like herself. It surprised her that demons had hearts, that they needed to breathe.

Maybe she had more in common with him than she thought.

* * *

The distant ringing of the doorbell rose her from her slumber. At first, she was puzzled, but then she realized that she hadn’t moved an inch since sleep hat overwhelmed her. And Baëkhyun hadn’t moved either. At the annoying and relentless ringing sound, he groaned and cursed under his breath, carefully moving her from his chest to the mattress without noticing that she was awake anyways. He moved to the door and walked away. Only seconds later she heard him talk to someone, recognizing the voice as Yixing’s. She already knew why he was here.

This wasn’t something she wanted to deal with right now, but she had to. Both demons were in the kitchen now, speaking quietly among themselves and she used the opportunity to go to the bathroom and take a quick shower. It made her feel more awake and chased the sleepiness away once and for all. Putting on a shirt and jeans, she trudged into the kitchen and when her eyes fell on the clock, she was shocked to see it was already past 1 pm… she had stayed in bed all morning. Yixing sat at the table with Baëkhyun, but when he saw her, he jumped up to pull her in for a hug.

“There you are, Minji! I was worried about you,” he said, looking her over to check if she was alright. When he found nothing wrong, he nodded and sat back down.

“Hello Yixing. I’m fine, don’t worry,” she answered, pointedly ignoring Baëkhyun’s stern gaze resting on her. He was well aware of the fact that she still hadn’t told him why she had fainted and it irked him. Ignoring him for now, she turned on the coffee machine, readying three cups for them.

“What exactly happened to you yesterday?” Yixing asked carefully, keeping his tone gentle. The demon often reminded her more of an angel than a spawn of hell, just like now. It was ironic that he of all people was a demon. “I have never seen Baëkhyun so worried in my life.”

Said demon sent him a smoldering hot glare and curled his lips in distaste. “Shut the fuck up, Läy,” he hissed, causing Minji to hide a grin as she turned back to the coffee machine. So he had been _worried_ about her. Maybe he had finally learned to accept the bond… and her? She didn’t dare ask him because she already knew that the prideful demon would never admit to it. Despite the anxiety she felt, the weight on her shoulders lightened.

She put a little bit of sugar in her coffee before she carried the three cups to the table, knowing that the demons preferred to drink it as it was.

Until now, she had avoided Yixing’s question, but she knew that he could be just as persistent as Baëkhyun, so she braced herself for a discussion. The last thing she wanted was to admit that she had fainted because of her fear, because of Dongmin. It already hurt her self-esteem badly enough as it was. She preferred pushing it to the back of her mind.

“Minji? Won’t you tell me?” Yixing asked again, his dark green eyes watching her inquiringly. She stared at her reflection in her coffee cup, the bitter smell of the beverage reaching her nose.

“I fainted, there isn’t much to it,” she muttered and took a sip of her coffee. “As I said, you needn’t worry. I probably was tired or something.”

Yixing was anything but convinced and Baëkhyun seemed annoyed at her. “Do you want me to send someone else to the next interview tomorrow? If you want to rest, that is absolutely fine.”

“No, no! I want to do it, please Yixing! This means a lot to me and you know it,” she said urgently, leaning forward in her chair. She captured his gaze with her brown eyes and looked at him pleadingly until he gave in.

“Fine, but remember, if it’s too much, you tell me immediately,” Yixing said to her. “And you continue to keep an eye on her,” he added towards Baëkhyun who had watched their exchange with narrowed eyes.

* * *

Once more, she stood in front of the tall building, inwardly sighing because of what she was about to do. Her last visit hadn’t ended so well, but this time, she at least wasn’t alone. Minji could tell that Baëkhyun was more attentive than usual, throwing her scrutinizing glances every now and then.

At first, she had been annoyed by them but now she just ignored them altogether. She needed to be focused for the interview and that’s exactly what she kept repeating in her mind as they both entered the building and made their way to the 18th floor where she would meet Jackson.

The moment Minji entered the lift, she started to feel restless and nervous. The enclosed space brought a feeling of being trapped and reminded her of her encounter with Dongmin. To distract herself, she let her gaze move over Baëkhyun who stood next to her and stared into space with a neutral expression. He wore slightly more elegant clothes than usual, just like her. His outfit consisted of a black shirt that fit his lean build too well, black jeans and equally black shoes. His undying love for dark colors was apparent. Only his white hair stood out, giving him a unique look. He never failed to gain the attention of the people he passed, and Minji often saw women staring after him to which he normally reacted with a smug smirk. This demon knew exactly how attractive he was, and he often used it to his advantage. Minji had to admit that her heart had fluttered _a tiny little bit_ when she had seen him today since he looked even better than usual in this outfit. It was almost unfair.

Minji herself had opted to wear a dress again, going with a light violet one that had cute flowers embroidered on it. She and Baëkhyun looked like day and night, so different in every way that some people in the building had shot them astonished looks. However, Minji was too caught up in her worried thoughts to notice them and Baëkhyun simply didn’t care enough about humans.

“You’re distracted today,” he remarked, the silent music in the lift filling the quiet when she failed to answer. She folded her arms in front of her and glanced at her reflection in the mirror opposite her. “Minji?” he added and finally gained her attention. She turned her head to look at him.

“Sorry?” she answered.

He sighed exasperatedly, taking a lock of her hair between his fingers. “I don’t like to be ignored, sugar,” he drawled.

“I’m aware of that,” she said emotionlessly. He was surprised at her hollow tone since he normally had no issues getting her flustered with his seductive behavior, but today, not even that worked. She just wasn’t herself for some reason, she hadn’t been since the first interview, making the demon wonder if this Jackson had something to do with it. He would keep an eye on him…

When the lift opened and they stepped out, Minji was reluctant to walk over the hallway, her eyes moving around constantly, causing him to ask himself what the hell she was looking for. Baëkhyun angrily clicked his tongue and took her hand to pull her along to the reception desk where a young secretary was waiting for them.

“H-Hello,” she squeaked, gaping at Baëkhyun. “H-How can I help you?”

“We’re here for the interview with Mr. Wang. I’m Lee Minji and I brought a friend this time, I hope you don’t mind,” Minji answered.

“N-No, it’s fine,” thee secretary answered, getting all flustered. “He’s waiting for you, please enter his office.”

“Thank you.”

They moved on and she knocked on the door before she entered with Baëkhyun who didn’t seem to be in a good mood. At least, that was what his grumpy expression conveyed to Minji. She wondered what was up with him but didn’t ask. The interview would start now, so she had to concentrate.

“It’s good to see you again, Minji,” Jackson grinned, waving at her.

“Hey Jackson,” she answered and smiled. He always had such a friendly aura about him, it was refreshing and she could tell why he was so popular with everybody. It was easy to talk to him and even easier to make friends with him. “I brought a friend this time, I hope you don’t mind. This is Baëkhyun.”

The demon had the decency to nod at Jackson, but other than that, he stayed silent when he followed them to the seating area close to the windows of the office. Minji sat on the sofa with Baëkhyun next to her while Jackson took a seat opposite them.

“Are you feeling better today? I heard you fainted last time,” the CEO said worriedly, tilting his head a bit. Minji flushed, glancing down at her lap and smoothening her dress to distract herself from her embarrassment. Of course he had heard about that, how awkward…

“Yes, but I’m fine. No need to worry, Jackson,” she answered.

“If you say so,” he replied, arching an eyebrow as he glanced at her. His curious eyes soon moved to Baëkhyun who sat next to her and looked quite arrogant with how he raised his chin. His steely blue eyes stared at Jackson, attempting to find out if he had anything to hide.

“Are you both journalists?” Jackson asked curiously, prompting Minji to shake her head.

“No, that’s just me. He… uh… tagged along today, I know it’s a bit random, but…” she struggled to explain.

“I don’t mind,” Jackson said, his smile shining brightly. Minji thought he was like a puppy when he behaved this way – it was adorable. “What’s your line of work, Baëkhyun?”

Minji shot the demon a sharp look but he ignored her. “I’m a model… and a singer too,” he said, his lips twitching when he noticed Minji gape at him for lying so effortlessly.

“That’s great!” Jackson said excitedly. “Honestly, I already expected you to work in this kind of business, it’s obvious.”

“Oh really?” Baëkhyun answered, his expression turning even more smug than before. Minji rolled her eyes at him and his insatiable ego.

“Sure, man. You look the part, and I could imagine you as a singer, too,” Jackson replied. 

“Maybe in another universe where he’s actually a nice person,” Minji grumbled under her breath, so quietly only Baëkhyun heard. His smug smirk vanished and was replaced by a surly glare.

When Minji began with the interview, she noted that Baëkhyun seemed a tad more interested in the conversation than before, sometimes even talking to Jackson. Minji was surprised about this since Jackson was also a “lowly human” like Baëkhyun labeled them. It appeared like they got along nonetheless, with Jackson laughing about the demon’s comments. The atmosphere was easygoing and Minji eventually forgot about her trepidation.

She enjoyed the interview more than the last, and time flew by so quickly that she was disappointed when Jackson’s secretary interrupted them to remind him of his busy schedule. He was apologetic when he ended the interview, shaking their hands to say goodbye.

“It was great meeting you two,” he grinned. “I’m looking forward to your article, Minji.”

“Thank you for your time,” she answered. “Maybe we’ll see each other again.”

“I hope so!”

Minji and Baëkhyun left after that and walked down the hallway. When they entered the lift, she pushed the button to go back to the ground floor. The doors closed.

“This wasn’t so bad,” Baëkhyun said, putting his hands in his pockets as he leaned his back against the wall.

“I expected you to act a lot ruder,” Minji replied, smiling faintly. “You surprised me.”

“Well, I know what manners are, I just usually choose to ignore them.”

She chuckled, shaking her head at him since she knew exactly what he meant. He really wasn’t the politest person out there, and sometimes it bothered her, but today he had been on his best behavior. Though maybe that had only been the case because Jackson had praised him so much?

“Thank you for accompanying me,” she said quietly, facing forward as she stood next to him, not looking at him. He glanced at her with astonishment swirling through his blue eyes.

“I would love to know why you were suddenly so keen on having me with you,” he muttered lowly, gaze hardening as he moved it to the mirror in the lift. Just at this moment, it reached its destination and they walked outside on the ground floor. Quite a few people were around, and it was a little crowded.

Minji looked around carefully, and the inevitable happened.

Her eyes met those of a man that she never wanted to see again and her happiness died in a heartbeat. Cold fear washed over her, petrifying her. She stopped in the middle of the hallway leading to the lobby, her feet frozen to the ground. Her pulse quickened. Dongmin looked surprised to see her, but not for long. His lips formed a sneer as he walked in her direction, intending to speak to her and causing her to panic.

She didn’t notice the strange glance she received from Baëkhyun at her sudden change in behavior. He narrowed his eyes and observed her closely, but he didn’t understand what was going on with her. Though one thing he already knew; he didn’t like the horror that reflected in her brown eyes. When he followed her gaze, he realized that she had been watching a man that was approaching them, coming to stand in front of them. Baëkhyun scrutinized him, noting that he was muscular and tall, with black hair and a permanent scowl on his face.

“Are you here _again_?” Dongmin immediately snapped at her, making her wince. “You’re more stupid than I thought. Didn’t you faint last time? Pathetic just like always.” His harsh words were like a knife in her heart, twisting and turning painfully. She hated him, hated hearing his voice, seeing his face. The day had starts out so well, why did she have to meet him again? This wasn’t supposed to happen!

“Who are you?” Baëkhyun spat. His rough tone caught Dongmin off guard who watched him like he had only just noticed him now.

“What do you care?” Dongmin answered, taking a step closer, but the demon was far from intimidated by him.

“Worthless human,” he growled. When he noticed that Minji inched closer to him, his eyes dyed red as a suspicion formed in his mind. He angled his body so he shielded part of her, feeling her fingers hold on to his sleeve. “How do you know her?”

“We are acquaintances that haven’t spoken in a while. Just wanted to see how she is doing now,” Dongmin replied with a very familiar aggressive tone in his voice that brought back memories in her head. Sensing her distress, Baëkhyun got even angrier.

“Do you expect me to believe that?” he snapped.

Dongmin didn’t react to his words, sneering at Minji who hid behind the demon. “Are you her boyfriend or what? You’re acting a little too protective of that bitch.”

The lamps flickered. On, off. On, off. Minji felt his muscles flex as he tried to hold in his fury, but it was easy to see that he was about to explode. “What if I am?” he retorted harshly. “Tell me your fucking name!”

Dongmin let out a laugh, his lips forming an evil grin that made the hair on Minji’s neck raise. “Kim Dongmin.”

All the lights went off from one second to the next, shrouding the area in impenetrable darkness. Minji heard astonished shouts from across the hallway and felt a tremble run through Baëkhyun’s body, followed by an inhumane growling sound that reminded her of a feral beast. She held on to his arm tighter.

“The fuck is going on?” Dongmin cursed as the lights flickered back on, revealing his unsettled expression. His attention instantly moved to the demon when he took a step towards him, his red eyes glowing unnaturally. “W-What the fuck are you?” Dongmin stuttered.

“We have a score to settle, human,” Baëkhyun snarled in a dangerously low tone. “You’ve messed with the wrong person.”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baëkhyun met Dongmin... and he's pretty angry now... :') I hope you liked the fluff at the start of the chapter! I thought it was needed after all the drama that happened last chapter. >////<
> 
> Thank you for reading!  
> ♡ Jessie


	16. Game Over

* * *

**Chapter is rated M for graphic violence.** **(Baëkhyun acts a little disturbing here. You have been warned. lol)**

* * *

Baëkhyun acted strangely on the way home, Minji couldn’t help but notice. He was caught up in his thoughts and wore a scowl on his face. His reddish eyes drew many stares in, not that he would have cared. Minji was a little worried he’d lose his temper after what had happened just now in the Wang Enterprises building. She’d felt raw fury radiating off him, a strange unnatural power washing over her, making it harder to breathe. He had almost ripped Dongmin’s head off, holding himself back with difficulty. Minji didn’t like it when he acted so violent; she had never liked violence. Thankfully, Baëkhyun had kept his sinister urges under control and decided to leave before the situation escalated. He had taken her by the wrist and pulled her after him out of the building and back to the busy streets of Seoul.

He kept her wrist in a light hold, though his hand soon wandered lower until he ended up holding her hand instead, their fingers intertwining. Minji glanced down with astonishment swirling through her chocolate eyes, something akin to disbelief flashing over her face. A mix of nervousness and happiness welled up within her while she realized how hard it was to understand his thoughts and actions.

Baëkhyun was full of contradictions, and she couldn’t fathom why he did certain things. On one hand, he never shut up about how much he hated humans, on the other hand, he kept her company and even kissed her. The latter she just couldn’t wrap her head around. Why would he do that? What drove him to touch a human this way? She suspected he might be bored and wanted someone to mess with, being a demon and all, but then why did he insist on holding her hand now? His touch was gentle despite the anger reflecting in his red eyes. To Minji, it was comforting, reassuring.

She was very grateful that he had tagged along today, for more than one reason. Firstly, the interview with Jackson had been funnier and more interesting, and she had been very surprised that the two men had gotten along. Secondly, she would have probably lost her nerves again had she met Dongmin alone. While she had been nervous this time as well, it hadn’t been that bad compared to last time. She had started to rely on Baëkhyun, started to trust him enough to even reveal her darkest secret to him. This wasn’t something she talked about with just anyone.

Her family, for example, did not know. She had kept it from them because she didn’t want to worry them. They lived in Gwangju, and she didn’t see them often. They had never been all that close, so it didn’t bother her too much. Her friends Jisoo and Chaeyoung were the ones she preferred spending time with.

Baëkhyun and her soon reached the parking garage close to Wang Enterprises. They got in her car and she drove back home. It was a gorgeous summer day, the weather being perfect to go swimming or spend time outside, but Minji wanted to go home regardless. She wasn’t in the mood to be around other people right now.

They reached her flat within the next thirty minutes and when she opened the door, she was greeted by Mochi that came running at her, meowing. She smiled and picked the demon up, cradling it to her chest.

“Did you wait for me?” she whispered, watching the faint speckles of light that surrounded the demon. She walked to the living room and sat on the sofa with it, hearing Baëkhyun’s footsteps following her. He lingered in the doorway, leaning his shoulder against the wall as he observed her with dark eyes.

“Minji, we need to talk,” he said seriously, causing her to cringe. She cuddled the small demon as she watched him move closer to her. “The reason you fainted was Dongmin, am I right? You met him in the building while you were alone,” he concluded, narrowing his eyes as he waited for her reaction.

She lowered her head and sighed. “You figured it out.”

She was met with heavy silence. Trying to distract herself from the tension building around her, she ran her hand through Mochi’s soft fur, causing the demon to purr distortedly. Baëkhyun came closer and ended up sitting on the sofa with her. He stayed silent for countless long minutes, holding his hand with the palm up and manipulating the light around it. He seemed distracted, absentmindedly letting a ball of light appear and disappear. His restless behavior was beginning to irk her since she once again could not tell what he was thinking of. The blank expression on his face gave nothing away at all.

“What happened exactly?” he suddenly said after a long silence.

“We were in the lift together and he taunted me like he used to do. He got… a little too close for comfort,” she answered quietly, not looking at him anymore.

“I see,” was his short answer before he fell silent again.

“I… I think I need a rest,” she mumbled and got up. The unexpected encounter with Dongmin had tired her out mentally and she felt that she needed a break from everything around her to get over it. It was never a good idea for her to force herself when she wasn’t feeling well. Mochi refused to let go of her, clawing at her dress when she wanted to put it down on the sofa. Giving up, she carried the cat with her to the bedroom. Baëkhyun did not say anything, but she felt his eyes on her back when she walked away, following her until she had entered her bedroom and closed the door.

She changed into more comfortable clothes and opened her ponytail, letting her black hair fall over her back. When she laid down on the bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin, Mochi went to sleep right next to her.

* * *

It was five pm when Baëkhyun checked in on her, seeing her motionless form on the bed with the small demon. She appeared to be sleeping tightly, not hearing him enter the room. He closed the door with a soft click and grabbed his leather jacket when he strode down the hallway. With purposeful steps, he left the flat and ran down the stairway.

He’d been looking forward to what was about to come for most of the day. Faster than usual, he bridged the distance between Minji’s home and the subway station, taking the first train to the city center. He had a destination in mind, and the closer he got to it, the more his excitement rose. It had been a while since he last spilled the blood of a human. Those weak creatures generally weren’t worth the effort since they died too quickly, but this time he made an exception. His sinister scowl earned him a few strange looks from the people on the subway, but nobody dared to say anything to him. Some cowered away in fear when he passed them to get off the train, sensing danger without knowing he was a demon.

He reached the large square located in front of Wang Enterprises. It was crowded since most people were heading home from work. He lingered near the wide glass doors of the building, keeping a close eye on those who left. Office workers walked out one after the other the later it got. His patience was tested when he was forced to wait for longer than planned. Annoyedly, he clicked his tongue and shifted his weight from one leg to the other, staring at the doors with deep red eyes.

It was past 7 pm when the person he was waiting for finally left the building, heading to the underground parking garage close by. Baëkhyun watched him light a cigarette as he walked. He never noticed his pursuer as he turned to enter the parking garage, taking a stairway that led underground. The area was illuminated by fluorescent tubes and Baëkhyun looked around, spotting several CCTV cameras along the way. With a simple snap of his fingers, he forced beams of light to hit every single one he saw, destroying them and preventing them from recording what was about to happen.

Silent like a ghost he creeped up on the unsuspecting man, keeping to the shadows that seemed to hide the demon’s body like a veil. His lips formed a menacing smirk as he watched his victim with dark eyes. Only seeing this despicable human was enough to make his blood boil—he couldn’t wait any longer, being overwhelmed by the strong urge to kill.

Dongmin reached his car that was located in a secluded part of the parking garage. He briefly looked up when the fluorescent tube above him flickered and went out, the area getting darker. Cursing, he took out his car key, intending to drive away, but fate had other plans for him. Baëkhyun decided to show himself, stepping out of the shadows and moving closer. Hearing him approach boldly, Dongmin turned to look at him.

“If it isn’t the asshole from before,” he grumbled ill-temperedly. “Did you leave the bitch at home this time?”

He didn’t receive a verbal answer, but the stare he got was smoldering with rage and the desire to spill blood. A deep inhumane growl left Baëkhyun’s throat. He took another step in his direction, waves of anger rolling off his body. Dongmin couldn’t believe his eyes when light gathered around his palms, radiating heat and brightness. He began to understand that something wasn’t right, that he was dealing with a person that might not be as human as he had thought. Moving back, he reached his car, trying to rip the door open, but he didn’t get that far.

Burning hot light stung his hand, making him yelp in pain. “What the fuck is wrong with you?!” he stuttered, eyes darting from the unnatural light back up to Baëkhyun’s face. It was distorted in rage and hatred, his iris so dark it appeared black.

“You need to pay,” Baëkhyun snarled, causing Dongmin to grow nervous. He felt threatened by the intimidating stranger in front of him. Even though he wasn’t aware that demons existed, he could tell that Baëkhyun was not human and that realization had his fear surge.

“Why?” he forced out, clenching his jaw. He moved around the car, attempting to get more distance between them, but there was no way he could ever get away from a demon set hard on murder.

“Don’t you remember what you did to Minji? How much you hurt her?” Baëkhyun countered, a ray of light striking the human mercilessly. He screamed, backing further away without letting Baëkhyun out of his sight.

“I… I didn’t hurt her! No even once! I have no idea what she told you, but it isn’t true at all.”

“You’re mocking both me and her. I don’t like being lied to, human,” he hissed hatefully, cornering Dongmin at the wall behind his car. The man looked around frantically for help, but the dimly lit area of the parking garage was deserted. Nobody noticed what was happening. Nobody would help him.

“Want to know what I’m going to do with you?” Baëkhyun asked, his excited tone fitting to his twisted smirk. A gleam in his eyes made him look like a deranged psychopath, the sight scaring Dongmin to the core.

“Look, I don’t even know you, we have no reason to…”

“Shut up! I have every reason to make you suffer, filthy human,” the demon spat, taking hold of Dongmin’s arm in a crushing grip. He smirked even wider when he felt warm blood under his hands, watching Dongmin’s horrified gaze with morbid fascination. “I’m going to start by breaking your bones. Nice and slow, so we can both enjoy it. Next, I could sever a limb… or maybe blast a hole through your stomach. Which do you prefer?”

Dongmin was pleading with him to let him go, his words falling on deaf ears. He tried to escape from the demon’s unrelenting grip, but it was futile. No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t do a thing. It was the first time in his life that someone overpowered him instead of the other way around and it left him terrified.

“If you don’t choose soon, I might just do both,” Baëkhyun drawled, his fingers coming to rest on the other man’s throat. “Or should I choke you? Ah, so many options. I can’t decide where to start.” He sighed dramatically, while Dongmin’s breaths became erratic with horror.

“Please, just let me go! I never… I never did anything to you,” he pleaded desperately, beads of sweat forming on his brow. He was trembling, looking nothing like the confident man he had been just hours before when Baëkhyun had first seen him. The demon thoroughly enjoyed seeing him suffer and beg for his life. It was the best entertainment he could ask for.

“I don’t like it when someone harms what’s mine. Doesn’t matter if it was in the past, you are going to pay dearly for your mistake,” he said with finality. “I need to make sure it doesn’t happen again, and there is only one way to do that.”

“Let me go, p-please!”

Baëkhyun’s only answer was a low chuckle that rung through the air. His grip on Dongmin’s arm tightened until the crushing of a bone could be heard. He screamed, but the demon did not show mercy. Dongmin stared into his delirious black eyes, the madness within them promising that he would not get a quick death.

* * *

Minji was woken up hours later by the meowing of Mochi that impatiently rubbed its head against her arm, seemingly asking to be petted. She smiled, running her fingers through its fur.

“You’re the cutest little kitty I have ever seen,” she whispered, its ears perking up when it heard her voice. Piercing demonic eyes watched her, and then it yawned, displaying sharp teeth that could easily kill a human. Minji often wondered why the demon had taken a liking to her when it was obvious that it was dangerous to humans. It was strange, but up to this point she had gotten used to being surrounded by unexplainable phenomena. She had stopped questioning everything a long time ago. Maybe Mochi was simply looking for a person that it could cuddle with, although this was unusual for a demon.

Minji got up and stretched her arms, checking the clock to see that it was past eight pm already. She made the mistake to sleep for too long, and now she probably wouldn’t be able to sleep through the night. How annoying. Sighing to herself, she trudged to the kitchen, taking note of the annoying flickering of the lamp above her head. Baëkhyun must be messing with her again—when would he ever learn to stop doing that? Probably never.

She rolled her eyes. “Hey Baëkhyun, do you want dinner too? I’m making spaghetti carbonara,” she yelled into the living room and waited for an answer, but to her surprise, she didn’t receive one. Grumbling under her breath, she marched to the next room, only to be met with a surprise. The demon wasn’t here. The tv and his precious PS4 were turned off, and the room was dark. Where could he be? Maybe in the bathroom? She looked down at her wrist to check the mark, seeing that it wasn’t shining. The star appeared like a regular tattoo, meaning he was gone.

She exhaled. “Where could he be? He never… leaves without telling me beforehand,” she mumbled, a strange unease blooming in her stomach. There was this feeling within her, telling her that something was off. She decided to push it to the back of her mind for now and walked back to the kitchen to ready all the ingredients she needed. While she waited for the spaghetti to be done, she distracted herself with texting on her smartphone until her thoughts went back to Baëkhyun. Where could he have gone? Didn’t he… threaten Dongmin earlier? Did he go after him now without telling her?

The lamp above her head kept flickering, turning on and off. She glanced up and gritted her teeth in annoyance. If Baëkhyun wasn’t the cause for this crap, then maybe Mochi was responsible. She glared at the demon, but it was asleep on a chair and didn’t even notice what was happening.

“What the hell, am I living in a madhouse?” she groaned. “If the stupid bulb is broken or there’s a problem with the electricity, I need to fix it soon.”

When the food was finished, she sat down at the kitchen table and dug in. It was quiet in her flat, only the soft purrs of the cat could be heard. Minji felt a little uneasy, couldn’t shake off the sense that something was wrong. She was getting paranoid… all this crap with Dongmin had probably triggered her so much that she couldn’t calm down anymore.

As soon as she was done eating dinner, she put the dishes in the dishwasher and trudged to the living room, turning on the tv to watch a random show that was on. She propped her chin up on her knee, hugging her shin with her arms. After the lamp in the kitchen had flickered constantly, now it was the one in the living room that didn’t stop acting like a strobe on steroids. It annoyed her so much, she contemplated just turning the damn thing off.

At around ten pm, she finally heard the front door open. Impatiently, she waited for Baëkhyun to come in the living room, but to her astonishment, he didn’t. He must have heard the tv, though. He walked into the bathroom and soon after, the shower was running. She sighed, wondering why he didn’t even say hello first, but didn’t think too much of it. Her attention went back to the show she was watching, curling up in her blanket on the sofa. Again, the light flickered, and again she groaned in annoyance. Damn demons, always messing with her.

Ten minutes later, she heard footsteps coming closer, and then he finally showed himself. His white hair was still damp, the shirt he was wearing clinging to his toned body, not leaving much to the imagination. He sported a lose pair of sweatpants and of course his beloved silver chain that he never took off. Minji noted that he appeared different than normal. There was a foreign coldness in his aura that made the hair on the back of her neck raise. Even his blue eyes were strangely cool all of a sudden, appearing darker and clouded with a strong emotion she could not place.

“Hello Baëkhyun,” she said when he never spoke, standing in the room unmoving like a ghost. “Where did you come from?”

His eyes flickered to her, taking her in, moving from her tangled hair over her brown eyes and slender nose to her lips and further down to the blanket with the cat sleeping on it. He stayed quiet for a few heartbeats, clearly thinking twice about his answer.

“I took care of something,” he muttered lowly, not giving her much insight.

“And what would that be?” she asked.

“Nothing too important, just took the trash out,” he said, his lips twitching. He was hiding something, she just knew it. Question was, what?

“I see,” she replied reluctantly, his behavior prompting her to get uneasy, but she hid it behind a smile. “I made dinner earlier. There’s some left for you. Want to heat it up?”

He contemplated only for a second before he walked off to the kitchen. She heard him rummaging, dishes clinking and then he returned with a full plate, joining her on the sofa to watch tv. They were enveloped in silence and Minji kept her eyes on the tv. Baëkhyun’s attention was drawn to her every few minutes. He kept glancing at her, maybe thinking she would not notice, but she did. When he finished his food, he put the plate on the table and leaned sideways against the backrest of the sofa, his gleaming blue eyes staring at her in a creepy manner.

“What’s up, Baëkhyun? You’ve not been acting yourself today. Um… did you have a bad day?”

He laughed, the malicious tone of his voice sending shivers down her spine. “Not at all. I’ve had a lot of fun, you can’t even imagine,” he said with an unsettling smirk on his lips.

“I’m guessing it was demon business again?” she mumbled, not liking the peculiar spark in his eyes.

“Indeed,” he answered. “What did you do while I was gone?”

“Nothing much, I slept for a while and later made dinner. Then I just sat in front of the tv with Mochi.”

“You seem uneasy,” he remarked, raising his eyebrows as he scrutinized her.

“Really?” she said, trying her hardest to hide her anxiousness. 

“Yes,” he drawled. “Something you want to talk about?”

“No.”

“Stubborn as always,” he said, and finally the strange coldness in his eyes faded, making way for a familiar teasing spark. He inched closer to her until their bodies were touching, wrapping an arm around her smaller form to pull her in. She leaned her head on his shoulder, looking up at his face in surprise.

“Like you’re one to talk,” she replied cheekily, closing her eyes as she rested her body against his, feeling his fingers ghost over her arm until they reached her left wrist. He took it in his hand and moved it closer to him. She felt his warm breath fan over her skin, and then he planted a soft kiss on the star-shaped mark.

The gesture astounded her since he had never done that before. A warm tingling spread over her wrist and she smiled, snuggling up to him. “What are you doing?” she mumbled, her words nearly incomprehensible since she was hiding her face at his chest.

“Nothing at all, sugar,” he replied mischievously.

* * *

The next day started off slowly for Minji. She worked on turning her recorded interview with Jackson into a text, writing everything down neatly. She was concentrated and hunched over her laptop in the kitchen, never noticing the demon walking in to observe her. He didn’t say anything and let her finish her work, deciding to go play a random game on his PS4.

When Minji was done, she sent her work to Yixing who had been excited to read the interview. He was satisfied with her questions and praised her for her writing, making her very happy. She was grinning like a lunatic when she walked back to her bedroom, putting her laptop on the desk next to her bed. It was eleven am now—and soon it would be time for her to decide what to make for lunch. Perhaps she should let Baëkhyun pick something since he had grown to like the food that humans ate. Minji was extremely amused by his love for strawberry cake. That was something he never refused. _Never_.

Just when she was about to walk back to the kitchen, her smartphone rang. Wondering who it could be, she pulled it out of her pocket and checked the caller.

“Hey Jisoo,” she said happily when she picked up, sitting down on her bed and leaning her back against the wall. “What’s up?”

She heard her friend exhale sharply. “Did you… see the news this morning? Did you check twitter?” she asked breathlessly, sounding frantic and scared, her behavior frightening Minji. It appeared like something bad had happened, but what could that be?

“I didn’t, what’s going on?” she replied nervously, not sure if she even wanted to know.

“You mentioned a while ago that you would do an interview with the CEO of Wang Enterprises, right? And didn’t you say it was yesterday?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Minji answered, fidgeting with the blanket on the bed.

“Last night, a murder happened close to the company building, in the parking garage right next to it. I was very worried at first because I remembered that you were close by, and so I did some digging to find out what exactly happened,” she explained. Minji was hardly able to concentrate anymore as shock hit her full force. Her hand holding the smartphone trembled.

“H-Huh? W-What?” she forced out, choking on her own words.

“The police are looking for the culprit, but they don’t have much to go on. Apparently, all the CCTV cameras were destroyed. The last thing they recorded was bright light, that’s it,” Jisoo said, while Minji froze, her eyes widening more and more. “I don’t want to accuse anyone, but do you know where Baëkhyun was yesterday between six and nine pm?”

Minji’s pulse rose. Her heartbeat accelerated and her breaths came in uneven pants. She felt nauseous all of a sudden, bile rising in her throat. She did not know where he had been, but she remembered his cryptic comments, his strange behavior. And it didn’t take a genius to count two and two together.

“Minji, are you still there?” Jisoo’s concerned voice got her back to reality. She gritted her teeth.

“Yes,” she whispered. “Jisoo, I think… I think it could have been him.”

“Oh my God, Minji,” her friend whispered. “This is… terrible.”

“What else do you know about it? Tell me everything!” she demanded, prompting Jisoo to sigh deeply.

“I don’t think you want to hear this.”

“I need to know. Please don’t keep it from me! I’ll find out anyways, one way or another.”

“Well, fine. But I would prefer to tell you in person, not on the phone. Do you think we could meet?” Jisoo asked tentatively, no doubt thinking about the demon that might interfere.

“I… I’ll try to sneak out… maybe he won’t notice,” she mumbled nervously, her eyes moving to the bedroom door as she lowered her voice. “Let’s meet in half an hour.” Minji was honestly terrified. If Baëkhyun really killed someone yesterday, a human no less, then she did not want her friend anywhere near him. He should never even meet her. Jisoo had to stay safe at all cost.

“Okay, come over to my flat. I hope… you can make it,” Jisoo said before she ended the call. Minji’s nerves were a complete mess at this point. She was shaking all over, tears burning in her eyes. 

She despised violence, despised people who used their strength to torment others who were weaker. She thought that Baëkhyun had gotten used to being around humans, especially after he had gotten along so well with Jackson.

Crushing disappointment mixed with anger. She got up abruptly and changed her clothes, getting ready to leave in record speed since she did not want to be near him at the moment. All she wanted was to be far away, to have space and time to think. Grabbing her purse, she tiptoed to the door and opened it with a soft click, peering outside on the hallway. From the closed living room doors, she heard the faint sounds of a videogame, proving that he was busy right now. Mochi was nowhere to be seen either, making her plan ten times easier. Her heartbeat surged nervously when she snuck towards the front door. Trembling fingers closed around the doorknob, opening the door. It creaked a little bit, her heart to stuttering in fear, but nothing happened. Nobody noticed.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello~!
> 
> Does it smell like trouble here? :’) Maybe our dear demon just made a mistake…  
> Hope you liked the chapter! 
> 
> ♡ Jessie


	17. Forget Everything

Minji ran down the stairs as quickly as possible without falling and got in her car to drive off, nearly flooring the gas pedal. She left her flat behind within minutes, but she was still nervous. Would he get angry once he noticed she was gone? What would he do? Maybe running away wasn’t such a good idea, but she needed to know what Jisoo had found out. She wanted to talk to her in person and not just on the phone since it seemed to be something very serious.

Fifteen minutes later, she pulled into the driveway of the house where Jisoo lived. Minji rang the doorbell and was greeted by her friend who immediately hugged her tightly.

“Minji! You’re okay!” she cried, not letting go of her for at least a minute.

“I am okay, no need to crush me,” she replied as calmly as she could. “And now you better tell me what’s going on!”

Jisoo nodded and took her hand to pull her along into the small living room of her flat where they sat on the sofa, close to each other.

“First of all, it won’t be easy to speak about this. It’s a lot to take, especially knowing who is most likely responsible,” she said, not doing a very good job at hiding her trepidation from Minji who grew increasingly distressed seeing her friend like this. They had known each other for a long time, but she couldn’t recall having ever seen Jisoo act this way.

“Go on and tell me. I need to know.”

“Well… the… uh… dead body was found by an office worker who was heading to his car after the late shift. He saw weird red spots at a wall and went to investigate. What he found laying behind a car was… um… the mangled body of a man in his twenties. He was in such a bad state that he could barely be recognized,” Jisoo explained hesitantly.

“That’s horrible! Do you know… who it was?” Minji asked, already having a suspicion in her mind, but she didn’t want to believe it yet _. It couldn’t be true…_

“Only the last name of the victim was released by the police, that being Kim,” she answered, confirming Minji’s suspicion.

She swallowed, her hands clenching so hard that her fingernails dug crescents into her palms. “It was Dongmin, no doubt about it.”

Now it was Jisoo’s turn to be shocked. She couldn’t believe her ears, staring at Minji in pure astonishment. Her mouth fell open. “ _What?!_ _Your ex?_ What was that asshole doing at Wang Enterprises?” she hissed hatefully, remembering what a bad person he had been. Her horror about the crime faded and she no longer felt sorry for the murder victim.

“He worked there,” Minji whispered. “I met him in the building.”

“Why haven’t you told me? Did he do anything to you?” Jisoo yelled, grabbing her friend by the shoulders.

“Not really? I mean, he taunted me… and threatened me, but he’s done much worse in the past, so it wasn’t that bad.”

“Not that bad, huh? Your perception of what’s okay and what isn’t is completely messed up because of that asshole. Sorry to say this, but it’s true. Neither he nor anyone else has the right to threaten you. You need to understand this, Minji,” she said, trying her best not to yell at her friend again, but she was overwhelmed by anger at Dongmin and it was hard to hold herself back. Jisoo did not have infinite patience, especially not when that abuser was involved. She despised him.

“I’m trying,” Minji whispered. Jisoo sighed and put an arm around her shoulders, hoping to comfort her friend. She knew it wasn’t easy for Minji to speak about her ex, but sometimes it was necessary. They had to figure out what had happened.

“Assuming that Baëkhyun was the one who killed Dongmin, what motive would he have to do it?” Jisoo asked, meeting Minji’s distraught gaze. “Did he know about what Dongmin did to you? Was he with you when you met him?”

Minji lowered her head to glance at her restless hands. “He knew. I told him after he witnessed me panic a few times,” Minji explained. “He was also there the second time I met Dongmin in the building.”

“That’s interesting. How did he react?”

“He was livid. I haven’t seen him so furious, ever. It was scary and I was glad when we were out of there,” Minji said.

Jisoo raised her eyebrows hearing this. “That confirms it. He killed Dongmin.”

“But why? What would he gain from it?” Minji mumbled, running a hand through her hair.

“I don’t think it’s that hard to explain,” Jisoo answered. “Demons are known to have a strong obsession with revenge. When you piss them off for whatever reason, you’re done for. Baëkhyun must have been angry because he found out what you went through, and I can’t blame him. I was angry too when I learned of it.”

“But did he have to resort to such an extreme level of violence? _Murder?!_ ”

“Demons don’t deal with problems the same way we humans do. They obliterate the reason for the problem even if that means taking someone’s life. Mercy and forgiveness are foreign to them,” Jisoo replied, her eyes hardening.

“What if he hurts other humans too? What if he _kills_ them?” Minji whispered and hid her face in her hands. It should have been obvious that Baëkhyun didn’t care for the lives of humans and had no issues with erasing them, but she had blocked it out, never thinking about it. However, now she was confronted with the truth whether she liked it or not.

“I highly doubt that he would hurt someone for no reason. It’s easy to see that he was taking revenge.”

“That doesn’t excuse his actions! He committed a severe crime and on top of that, he didn’t just kill Dongmin, but also tortured him. It unsettles me,” Minji said, rubbing her teary eyes. “And he’s probably furious at me for leaving without telling him first. He must have noticed already. I don’t want to go home!”

“You can’t run forever, though.”

“Yeah, but I need time to get used to the fact that _he killed my ex_. If that isn’t freaky, I don’t know what is. I don’t feel sorry for Dongmin, but I don’t get why Baëkhyun would go so far just to get someone like him out of the way. Why does he even care, I don’t understand.”

Jisoo pursed her lips, thinking for a moment before she answered. “Maybe… it has to do with your bond?”

Minji was unsure, not knowing what to think of this. “I mean, yeah… could be true, but it’s one of many possibilities.”

Just when she had started to warm up to him and to trust him, he killed a human in such a cruel way that she wanted to turn her back on him and _run_. She had forgotten who she was dealing with because she hadn’t seen his violent side in a while. He was cruel, he was vicious, and he couldn’t be trusted. She had to remind herself to keep her distance, to stay away from him.

“Minji, maybe you should talk to him about it,” Jisoo suggested.

“Talk? To _him_? I know how that’s going to end. He’s either going to throw a fit, or he’s going to mock me.”

“Perhaps you’re wrong,” Jisoo countered. “You shouldn’t keep him waiting too long.”

“Are you throwing me out?” Minji sighed.

* * *

Minji reluctantly left her car and locked it, leaning against it to stare up at the house, to the windows of her flat. It was deadly silent in the area, and she was more than a little uneasy about her return. She hadn’t really thought about this when she had left earlier… now how should she face him, knowing he had killed Dongmin? She couldn’t say that she was completely fine with it, even if her ex had been a shitty person. The idea of someone being tortured to death horrified her and caused her stomach to turn on its head. She was terrified.

With reluctance, she trudged up the steps to her flat, dragging her feet as she walked. Her fists were shaking at her sides. Before she could bring herself to unlock the door, she stood in front of it, staring at its white surface with furrowed brows. This was way harder than she imagined…

“Coward,” she scolded herself and finally unlocked the damn door to go inside. It was quiet in here, and the lamps were rather dim, she noticed. She discarded her shoes and jacket, walking down the hallway towards the living room, where she assumed him to be. Suddenly, the door in front of her was ripped open from the other side and she came face to face with a livid Baëkhyun. His eyes were dark red, his gaze hitting her with the intensity of a bullet, causing her to flinch. Mixed in with the anger in his eyes was crushing disappointment.

“Why did you run away? I thought we were over this!” he hissed resentfully.

She couldn’t answer, didn’t know what to say. Her tongue was glued to the roof of her mouth. She couldn’t form words and her silence upset him further, the lamps on the ceiling brightening and dimming in turns, painting eerie shadows over his face. Her breath hitched when an unwanted picture flashed before her eyes, showing her his face stained with human blood, making him look like the murderer he was. She instinctively took a step back when he took one forward.

His eyes became steely and narrowed. “Tell me where you went!” he demanded, becoming more impatient by the second. His temper was getting the best of him, she could tell.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s none of your business,” she forced herself to say.

That was the wrong answer. He bridged the gap between them with fast strides and took her wrist, turning it over so the glowing star was visible. “You _are_ my business. Here’s your proof,” he said icily. “When will you finally understand?”

She swallowed, not liking the way he worded it. Her unease grew and she was no longer able to hide it. He could easily read it in her eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?” he grumbled bitterly.

She ripped her wrist from his hand and stared at him in disbelief. “Isn’t it obvious?” she replied, voice sounding hysteric.

“It’s not!”

“I know what you did yesterday, demon,” she said, seeing his eyes widen in shock. He looked caught off guard, like he hadn’t expected her to ever find out about it.

“Who told you?” he snarled.

“Why do you want to know? So you can murder that person too? I’ve told you before that I don’t like violence. I’ve had _enough_ of that in my life already. Show some understanding for once!”

He gritted his teeth. “Why the fuck are you angry? You should be glad he’s gone! Don’t tell me you miss the bastard!”

“I don’t, but that doesn’t mean you could torture him to death!”

“He deserved it!”

“You’re so difficult,” she countered. “I can’t take this, I wish you had more empathy! Why did I have to get stuck with such an unfeeling prick? Is tormenting me all you ever wish to do?”

She brushed past him in a huff, running straight to her room and closing the door with a bang. That had been worse than she had imagined! He really had no regard for her feelings; probably just needing a way to let his boundless rage and hatred out.

Demons were despicable.

Minji had a hard time calming the storm of emotions in her heart. They were all over the place, a mess. She didn’t want to deal with them, hating the way they made her feel. There was fury, there was disappointment, but there was also anguish. She had gotten too close to the demon and had to let go of the illusion that he was trustworthy and safe to be around. He’d been tame for a while, but now the inevitable had happened and his rage had boiled over.

She wondered if she should tell the police that she knew who the murderer was. Then again, what would that do? He was a demon, if they locked him up, he could just open a portal to hell and escape in a heartbeat. But before that, he would likely annihilate every single person in the vicinity and she did not want any more bloodshed to happen because of him.

She needed to break that cursed bond at all cost! There was no other way if she wanted to lead a halfway decent and normal life. The demon had to go.

Minji stayed in her room until the sky turned dark and the first stars became visible. The conversation from earlier kept repeating itself in her mind, and she nearly drove herself insane with it. “Stop thinking about it,” she told herself. As if it was that easy. Thoughts were hard to tame.

A sudden change in her bedroom caught her attention and she glared at the flickering lamp above her in disdain, cursing the demon for fucking around with her again. Could he not at least this once leave her alone? She got up and marched to the living room where she discovered him watching a random movie. He didn’t look at her when she entered, causing her anger to surge.

“Demon,” she hissed. “Stop messing with the light.”

He snapped his head around to pierce her with his glare. “I’m not doing anything, human. You’re not worth the time.”

Her mouth fell open and she glowered at him. “Yeah, of course. Stop lying to my face!”

“I am not lying. Get the fuck out of here,” he snarled. “I don’t want to see you.”

“Asshole,” she spat, turning on her heel, intending to do just that. She’d get the fuck out of this hellhole. Running towards the front door, she put on her sneakers, not caring to bring her jacket and left the flat. He didn’t stop her.

She was controlled by rage and desperation. He was insufferable—one of the most difficult people she ever had to deal with. Angry tears burned in her eyes, blurring her surroundings. She fought the strong urge to let her anger out, to attack the next goddamn demon that looked at her for too long. Since it was dark outside, many of them were around, scurrying through the shadows. Some of them stared at her creepily, but she was so caught up in her fury that she didn’t give a shit about them. The next demon that had the audacity to hiss at her was met with a smoldering glare. She clenched her hands to fists, breathing out and focusing on keeping calm. The rage in her heart burned like lava. It destroyed every reasonable thought in her mind and shrouded it in a haze.

The flickering of the streetlamps went on her nerves and added to her ever-growing annoyance. For a second, she thought Baëkhyun had followed her, but a quick glance at her wrist told her otherwise. The bastard probably sat on the sofa and played some dumb videogame, not caring about her in the slightest.

Why the fuck was the light always reacting this way when he wasn’t near her lately? This wasn’t normal. She clenched her jaw, ripping her eyes from the strange sight and concentrating on the dimly lit street. It led her through an industrial area that was quite a bit away from her home. She hadn’t even noticed how far she had walked. The area was deserted and quiet since the people who worked in the nearby buildings had gone home already.

Her anger faded gradually, and when it was gone, she felt empty and also somewhat guilty. “Why the heck are you feeling guilty? He’s the one at fault,” she grumbled to herself, kicking a pebble. “He never understands… and when he yells at me, he’s scary.”

Her brown eyes moved over her surroundings, taking in the dark company buildings and the empty parking lots. She hadn’t been here in a long time and hardly recognized the place. The longer she walked, the weirder she felt, and then she suddenly realized that the dull ache in her chest wasn’t her own. She stopped and closed her eyes, focusing on her bond with the demon, trying to find out what this emotion was that seeped into her heart. Was it anguish? Guilt? She had trouble deciphering it, but it surprised her that he felt anything of the sort after he had been so mad at her. Maybe she had judged him wrongly. Perhaps his anger earlier had a different cause altogether…

She was distracted from her thoughts when the mark on her wrist pulsed, prompting her to look up. There was a demon standing not far from her under the flickering light of a streetlamp. It appeared like a hyena, its body radiating a strange white mist, and Minji soon came to realize that it was a frost demon. Its mere presence cooled the air down more than ten degrees. Gleaming white eyes focused on her, watched her. She knew what it was planning. It really wasn’t hard to tell.

Cursing, she took a reluctant step back _. This was bad_. She watched it come closer and closer, the fear within her spiking. However, it soon turned to frustration. She was sick of being the weaker one all the time. It had to stop. Frustration changed to anger, consuming her very being until every fiber of her wished for that damn demon to vanish.

A powerful sensation she had never felt before took over, causing her body to shudder. She inhaled, exhaled, but it never went away. If anything, it surged, getting stronger by the second. The streetlamp nearby went out, shrouding the area in darkness. Minji’s eyes widened since she couldn’t see the demon anymore, could only hear its snarls and growls as it creeped closer.

Pain washed over her, stinging and aching, pooling in her stomach. She gasped and suddenly she was blinded by an insanely bright light that forced her to close her eyes. When she reopened them, she saw that it originated from her own hands. They were radiating light uncontrollably, conjuring more and more of it. Unable to understand how this was possible, Minji panicked. Her pulse accelerated, and the strange light reacted to the change within her, spreading until not only her hands were glowing, but her entire body. She lightened up the whole street, drawing all the light in the vicinity to her.

The demon that had been snarling at her now looked a lot less confident, taking cautious steps backwards. “That’s right, better run away!” she yelled at it angrily, beams of light shooting at it, striking it hard. It was thrown back, hit a fence and landed on the ground. To her surprise, it didn’t retaliate and fled into the night, not coming near her again.

She couldn’t believe it. “How? How am I able to do this?” she whispered. Her body kept glowing brightly—it must have looked extremely weird since she was the only source of light in the area. Minji tried to make the light disappear, but she found she was unable to control it. It kept reacting to her emotions and since they were a mess right now, there was no way she could get the strange phenomenon under control.

Her panic worsened, eyes blurring with tears when she felt something else. The longer this state held on, the weaker she got. Her energy was drained, taken away by a force she could not stop. She leaned against the building wall behind her, closed her eyes and calmed her breathing, but it didn’t do any good. Her body was beginning to burn from the strain, the light getting hotter the longer it enveloped her. It was as if it was turning against her. Her human body could not handle it.

“Damn, if this goes on for much longer, I’m done for,” she cursed, hand reaching for her phone. She stared at it for a moment, hesitating.

Did she really want to do this?

Sighing, she dialed her landline number and let it ring for a long time, not really surprised that he wasn’t picking up. Maybe he had already destroyed the phone in one of his fits, especially since he saw her number on the screen.

When he took the call, she was surprised. “What?” a familiar voice hissed at her, causing her to cringe. Did she really want to ask him for help? Not like she had another choice, though. Her situation was starting to get painful and he probably felt it too.

“I have a problem,” she began.

“What is it now? Can you for once not get in trouble? What did you idiot do? Break a leg, fall down a stair, get mugged…” he ranted, but she cut him off.

“I’m glowing,” she breathed, staring at down at her body fearfully. He fell silent for a few seconds.

_“What the fuck?”_

* * *

Baëkhyun did not need long to find Minji, after all she wasn’t exactly subtle, looking like a beacon in the dark. She radiated so much light that everything around her appeared ten times brighter than it was supposed to be. Hearing him approach her, she snapped her head around, barely making him out over the brightness surrounding her.

“What are you doing, idiot?” he hissed angrily, but she could hear the confusion and slight waver in his voice.

“I don’t know! This just happened, I have no idea what caused it,” she said. The damn light felt painful, and the otherworldly power that ran through her body was burning hot.

“Damn human, always causing trouble,” he grumbled, unbothered by the hot light. The closer he got, the more it dimmed. He reached out a hand to touch her wrist, and that was the moment it vanished entirely. They were enveloped by darkness. Breathing heavily in exertion, she felt more than a little drained, leaning her back against the wall behind her while looking at him hesitantly.

“I’ve suppressed it for now,” he explained in a huff. “But since you can’t control it at all, it will come back if you are too far away from me.”

“What was that?!”

He narrowed his eyes like he couldn’t believe it himself. “It was light magic. I have no idea where it came from all of a sudden, but we need to do something about it. This could get dangerous if we leave it as it is. Demonic magic is not something a human should come in contact with. Its raw power could rip your body apart if you are not careful.”

“Very reassuring,” she mumbled sarcastically. “Let me guess. This is your fault, right?”

“Because according to you it’s _always_ my fault,” he snarled back, his rage boiling over once more. “At least be thankful I came here. You could have died sooner or later.”

“Which means you only came here to safe your own skin,” she countered harshly. “Selfish demon.”

“You’re the most ungrateful being I have ever met,” he shot back.

“I can’t wait to sever the bond to be rid of you!”

“Likewise!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's a lot of trouble for one chapter... I'm not used to writing arguments and I learned it the hard way. lol Anyways, Minji now has an interesting new ability! I hinted at it all the way back in chapter six and I'm guessing most of you have forgotten about it already. lmao SURPRISE!!
> 
> Have a nice day guys!!  
>  Jessie


	18. Him and Her

Minji had never felt so uncomfortable in her own flat, in the place she called home. The demon’s presence pushed her mood down and made it impossible for her to focus. She was on edge constantly and could not calm down. Had he not suppressed the magic within her, it would have been all over the place due to the chaos in her mind.

She was angry, she was anxious, and she felt hurt.

A part of her wanted to cut Baëkhyun out of her life and never deal with this crap again, while another part wanted things to go back to the way they were before. However, that would be difficult after all the harsh words she had screamed at him. _I can’t wait to sever the bond._ That had been the last straw, the sentence that made everything ten times worse than it already was and she wished she could take it back.

Minji remembered the hurt that had flashed through his blue eyes, remembered how they were dyed deep red just seconds after. He’d hidden the pain her words had caused him behind his rage, but she had felt the sting in her heart. In hindsight, she should have just kept her mouth shut instead of making everything worse. She stared at the gleaming star on her wrist and sighed. How complicated her life had become within the past month was hard to fathom. The demonic crest on her skin was the proof that she could not just cut him out of her life. They had to depend on each other for this to work out, but how should that go when they couldn’t even speak to each other without arguing?

Heaving another deep sigh, she left her bedroom, walking to the kitchen. She avoided the living room like the plague and went to the fridge, unsure what she wanted to eat for breakfast. Closing the fridge when she didn’t find anything, she opted to make toast for herself. Usually, she would ask if Baëkhyun wanted breakfast too but today she decided against it. He would only yell at her and she wanted to spare herself from being a target for his anger yet again.

Turning on her heels, she walked back to the counter and readied her breakfast, making coffee and sitting down at the table. She absentmindedly scrolled through the messages on her smartphone, spotting one from Yixing. Apparently, the interview with Jackson had been a big success, sales of the newspaper going up, and their website receiving more clicks than usual. She smiled proudly and typed a quick message in which she thanked him for his praise. At least that part of her life was going smoothly, even when everything else was falling apart…

While she was busy eating, the person she wanted to see least walked in the room, coming to a stop when he saw her. His eyes narrowed and her throat went dry under his harsh scrutiny.

“So, now you don’t even want to eat breakfast with me anymore,” he said bitterly. “Funny how you call _me_ selfish.”

She swallowed and avoided his eyes. “You… you’re a demon, it’s not like you need food,” she said quietly.

“I don’t want to hear your stupid excuses,” he hissed.

“Then do me a favor and go,” she replied, not knowing how to handle his sudden aggressiveness towards her.

“If we broke the bond, I would leave in an instant,” he spat, clenching his fists. “I don’t want to be around you anymore.”

“Why are you mad at me, huh?” she yelled, her appetite gone. Pushing the plate away from her, she glared at him.

“Because you’re acting like an ungrateful bitch! Why did you run away from me twice yesterday? What’s your problem?” he screamed back, the loudness of his enraged voice making her flinch. Light radiated from his fists and his shoulders trembled as he fought to regain his composure, but the anger had him under its control.

Something in Minji cracked. She couldn’t take it when he was like this. It hurt to see him turn against her because it reminded her too much of someone else. Someone who was now _dead_.

“Because you’re intimidating, unpredictable and scary. Of course I wouldn’t want to be around you,” she said, voice shaking. “How can you expect me to trust you after what you did?”

His body stopped trembling as his anger finally vanished and his eyes clouded with a heavy emotion. Shoulders sinking down, he looked defeated and his bitter expression only added to it. Frustration and pain swirled through his eyes, but he soon cast his gaze towards the ground, hiding his feelings from her. The stinging in her heart was back and this time it was stronger than before. He didn’t speak another word as he left the kitchen. She heard the door to the living room close.

* * *

The mood between him and her was tense for the remainder of the morning. Minji stayed far away from him, only leaving her bedroom when there was no other way. She used the time to call Jangmi and asked her for help since Minji still hadn’t figured out what to do about her newly acquired magic. Thankfully, Jangmi agreed to meet up later in the day, Minji being grateful for her support.

After a lot of arguing between her and Baëkhyun, he finally agreed to come with her. They took the car to a secluded part of the forest to meet Jangmi and Sehůn who were already waiting when they arrived.

“Hello you two!” the witch gushed happily, hugging Minji who returned the embrace with less enthusiasm, a deadpan look on her face. Baëkhyun didn’t even glance at her, keeping quiet while glowering at the other three people.

Jangmi and Sehůn soon noticed that something was off. They observed the other two closely, noting how they kept their distance, never talked to each other and didn’t acknowledge each other either. The tension around them was suffocating, to the point where Sehůn wanted to turn around and walk away. He exchanged a worried glance with Jangmi, deciding to speak to Baëkhyun later on.

“Can we talk in private for a moment, Jangmi?” Minji said, shooting Baëkhyun a harsh glare. His eyes became red instantly.

“Not like I want to listen to you,” he spat and turned away to walk off into the forest. Sehůn went after him, giving the two women some privacy. As soon as they were out of earshot, Jangmi gave Minji a cautious glance.

“What’s up with you two? I thought you needed some advice about magic, but it seems that’s not the only thing you need help with,” she said worriedly. “I have never seen the two of you act so coldly around each other. Not even the first time I met you.”

“It’s a long story,” Minji said evasively, but Jangmi wanted to hear none of her excuses.

“Spill!” she demanded persistently and glared at her friend when she hesitated. “Come on, Minji! I could help you.”

Minji sighed deeply, deciding to tell her everything that happened. She didn’t leave out Dongmin and their shared past, mentioned her visit at Wang Enterprises and ended her explanation with the murder. Jangmi’s gaze darkened considerably. She could easily see that Minji was suffering under the situation, but she couldn’t deny that both her and Baëkhyun were responsible for it.

“I understand that you’re upset, but you guys really need to make more of an effort to get along. It’s important that you work together, especially now that you are able to use magic.”

“Do you think I could learn how to use it properly?” Minji breathed, her eyes widening.

Jangmi nodded. “Yes, but you need patience and it doesn’t look like you have the nerves for this kind of thing…”

“I want to learn, please teach me!”

“It’s not that easy. I only know how to use wind magic, I couldn’t tell you much about light magic,” Jangmi said, and Minji groaned inwardly.

“I won’t ask _him_ for help. Forget it,” she spat angrily.

“It’s the only way, Minji. You received his magic through the bond and nobody here understands his element better than him. Try to get along with him, talk to him about your issues. I remember that time when we had dinner together; you were so cute together and now I almost don’t recognize you anymore. It’s sad.”

“He has shown his true colors,” Minji grumbled, eyes hardening.

“Listen to me, you stubborn girl,” Jangmi said, raising her voice. “You two need to work together now more than ever. Only last week, a high-class demon broke into our flat and tried to kill me. He was after me because of my bond to Sehůn. There might be many more out there, only waiting for someone like you to run into them. If you and Baëkhyun don’t work as a team now, it might cost your lives!”

Minji’s eyes widened in shock. Worry clouded her thoughts, causing her to frown and take a step closer to her friend. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

Jangmi shook her head, much to Minji’s relief. “No, Sehůn and I fought him off and knowing how to use wind magic definitely was a great help here.” She stared at Minji pointedly who cursed under her breath, knowing that it would be a smart choice to get over her anger and get along with Baëkhyun.

They were interrupted by Sehůn and Baëkhyun who came back at this moment, Sehůn looking agitated while Baëkhyun seemed more annoyed than anything. He ran a hand through his white hair and grumbled something under his breath.

“There you are,” Jangmi smiled, trying to keep the mood up, and to Minji’s annoyance she got right to the point, not beating around the bush. “Baëkhyun, would you be willing to teach Minji how to use light magic?”

He didn’t look too surprised, probably having spoken to Sehůn about it before, and it was easy to tell that he wasn’t happy about it. His reddish eyes came to rest on Minji, scrutinizing her. A sarcastic sneer formed on his lips. “Oh, I’m sure she does not want the help of a _selfish_ demon,” he spat.

“Excuse me?” Minji shot back. “Can you at least try to be civil?”

“Look who’s talking!”

“Shut the fuck up!”

A sudden sharp gust of wind almost knocked Minji and Baëkhyun off their feet. They stumbled, cursing and pausing their argument to glare at Sehůn who in turn glowered at them. “You’re acting like children! Can’t you be more mature about it? It’s important for Minji to learn how to control the magic within her! You are both responsible to get this done, so pull yourselves together!”

“Don’t interfere, Sehůn,” Baëkhyun snapped, particles of light appearing around his body.

“You know what? I think it’s best if we leave you alone now,” Jangmi cut in before they were at each other’s throats. She took Sehůn’s hand and pulled him after her, looking at Minji. “Work together, not against each other, okay?”

And with that, the couple walked away, soon vanishing between the trees. Minji stared after them with furrowed brows, not believing that they had just left her alone with the ill-tempered demon who certainly did not plan on helping her at all. She hadn’t expected this; had hoped that Jangmi could teach her.

Baëkhyun gave her a piercing glare that made her stomach churn. He hadn’t looked at her like that since he had first met her and a part of her felt hurt by it, while another part was livid at him. His dislike for her had suddenly come back after Dongmin’s appearance had messed everything up. Minji had to learn to accept that whatever had been between her and Baëkhyun was gone now. She bit her lower lip hard, thinking about how they had kissed, how comfortable she had felt sleeping next to him, and how he had comforted her.

She had seen him as someone who had a soft core beneath a hard shell, but then he had gone and tortured a human to death… and the picture she had of him blurred and became unrecognizable. She had no idea what to think of him anymore.

“They weren’t very helpful,” Baëkhyun complained lowly, crossing his arms. He looked around in the forest with disinterest and annoyance swimming in his eyes. It was another warm summer day that could have been perfect, had they not been stuck in a conflict with each other.

“They weren’t, so we’ll just have to do it alone,” Minji said and looked at him expectantly. “Let’s get it done, I don’t want to spend more time with you than necessary.”

A low growl reached her ears. It made her shudder, but she tried not to let it show.

“Fine,” he said, and instantly released the hold he had on the light magic within her. She felt the change, was overwhelmed by it. Brightness burst before her eyes as raw magic poured out of her uncontrollably. It was like a hurricane, wild and untamed, impossible to get a grasp on. She tried to focus and somehow hold it together, but she didn’t succeed. No matter how hard she fought it, she got nowhere.

“This isn’t how it works,” she heard Baëkhyun nag, and when her anger at him surged, so did the magical power. It went out of control completely, shooting off in all directions. Most of it was directed at him, but the beams of light never reached him, vanishing before they could touch him. Bending light came as easy to him as breathing. He didn’t need to think about it.

“Then how does it work?” Minji yelled. She was tiring fast with the raging flow of magic tearing through her body, and so far Baëkhyun hadn’t done a thing to help her. “I can’t contain it! It’s impossible to grasp.”

“You’re not supposed to fight it, you idiot. It’s a part of you, you need to accept it!”

“Easy for you to say,” she replied frustratedly. The wild flow of light around her was dizzying and so bright that her eyes were starting to hurt. The magic was foreign to her, it didn’t feel like a part of her yet. She needed more time to get used to it, this wouldn’t just work from one minute to the next.

“You have to calm down first. As long as you don’t even have a grip on yourself, it won’t work.”

“Can you leave me alone for a moment?” she asked.

He watched her with an unreadable expression, not letting her see what he was thinking. “Is that a good idea? Knowing you, you will do something stupid as soon as I’m out of sight.”

“Please. Just for a moment!”

He held eye contact with her, his gaze piercing and heavy. “Ten minutes. Not more.”

She heaved a sigh, watching him disappear between the trees to leave her alone for a while. She welcomed the silence around her, and the loneliness. Sinking to her knees, she sat on the soft moss-covered forest ground and listened to the sounds of nature; the quiet chirps of the birds, the rustling leaves. The atmosphere around her was peaceful, a stark contrast to the raw power that raged through her being. Orbs of light floated around her, changing their shape, brightening and dimming. Her hands radiated brightness and heat that was beginning to get uncomfortable.

Recalling Baëkhyun’s words, Minji attempted to calm her mind first which was easier said than done. There was so much resentment in her heart, so much guilt, that she had trouble focusing. His hate-filled insults were circling around in her head, not giving her any time to rest. She had to admit that she missed having him around her without arguing nonstop. Hadn’t they gotten along so well lately? She had been happy, had even begun to accept the bond, and now it was all ruined and fucked up. Since she knew it was partly her fault, some of the hatred within her heart was directed at herself. This feeling, along with many others, prevented her from concentrating on her magic.

She remembered seeing Baëkhyun create a ball of light on his palm. It had looked so easy, effortless even, but to her it was impossible to do. The light did not do what she wanted, it seemed to have a mind of its own.

She remembered his gorgeous smile, the one he had only shown her once when she had surprised him by gifting him a new chain. It had been brighter than any light and had filled her with warmth and happiness. She found herself wondering if she would see it again, but somehow she doubted it and it made her sad.

What he had done wasn’t something she condoned, but she couldn’t deny that she was attached to him, and this tension between them was gnawing at her. She hated it. And she hated herself for being riled up so easily, for shouting insults at him when it hadn’t been necessary. Maybe she should do what Jisoo and Jangmi had told her to do. Maybe she should talk to him… and maybe he would be willing to listen.

When Minji reopened her eyes, she was surprised to see the light magic that had been swirling around her gone. No trace of it was left. Its wild flow had calmed down along with the emotions in her heart.

She was surrounded by rays of sunlight, but those were completely natural; a beautiful sight. Minji smiled, reaching her hand out to touch one of them, feeling warmth and a pleasant tingling on her fingertips. Curiously, she observed her hand, seeing the light shining brighter around it. She blinked, watching tiny orbs of white light appear and float around her hand. It was a foreign yet incredibly beautiful sight. _If this was light magic, then she didn’t mind it being a part of her._

As soon as she had ended the thought, golden shimmering particles formed in her palm until a ball of light came into existence. It was small, not nearly as big as Baëkhyun’s had been, but it was an achievement she was proud of. However, it did not hold for long. After she exhaled, losing her focus for only a second, the ball dissolved. She stared at her empty palm with wide eyes.

“Did I do that?” she breathed in awe.

“Yes.”

She winced, turning around to see Baëkhyun leaning against a tree, watching her attentively. His earlier anger seemed to be gone; he appeared to be much calmer now, but his expression was still unreadable.

“Where did you come from?” she asked embarrassedly.

“Your ten minutes were up a while ago, but I did not want to disturb you,” he said and shrugged. “That went better than expected. What were you thinking of so intently?”

She looked at him, her eyes widening. “It was… um… not that important…” she trailed off, prompting him to lift an eyebrow. “We need to talk about some things, Baëkhyun.”

His gaze hardened instantly, streaks of red appearing in his iris. “Oh, do we? I wonder whose fault that is,” he said accusingly, already going on the offensive which was exactly what she had wanted to avoid.

“It’s as much my fault as it is yours,” she said, trying to keep a cool head despite the chaos in her heart. She got up from the ground and walked up to him, standing in front of him with a serious expression. There was a question in her head that had been bugging her for a while and she needed to hear his answer. “You see, I was hoping that you would change your views of us humans and just when I thought you got over your hate, you go and… and murder someone.”

She blinked, but the annoying burning in her eyes wouldn’t go away. Nervously, she stared at her hands that were glowing faintly, the magic reacting to her distress.

“It wasn’t just _someone_ ,” Baëkhyun replied bitterly with a dark look in his eyes. “That man deserved it for what he did to you! Do you really think I could have let him go after hearing about it? After witnessing how he treats you?”

“I get that you were angry, but… but it’s wrong to resort to violence,” she said quietly. “If you wanted to let your anger out, you could have done something else.”

“This wasn’t about my anger! I had to make sure he would never hurt you again and the only way to do that was to get him out of the way,” Baëkhyun explained, his voice trembling with irritation and hatred, but this time it wasn’t directed at her. Neither was his smoldering glare which he kept fixed on the darkness between the trees. “I did this for your sake, to protect you, but all you do is call me selfish and self-centered. You humans are so hard to understand,” he snapped.

Her eyes widened. She had never expected that to be his drive behind his actions. Now that he had explained it, it made sense to her, but she couldn’t deny that his way of thinking was twisted and fucked up. Protecting someone by murdering someone else… It was something that would never cross her mind. Their ways of thinking were so unlike each other, just as their views on morals.

She sighed deeply and came to terms with the fact that she had misunderstood him from the start. Raising her chin, she met his gaze and attempted to smile at him. “I see. I’m sorry for calling you selfish, and I’m sorry for yelling at you too,” she said softly. “But there is one thing we need to make clear from now on: Please don’t use violence where it isn’t needed. I was terrified when I found out what you did.”

“I would never hurt you, and it wasn’t my intention to cause you distress either. Shouldn’t you know that?”

“You’re right,” she replied, her eyes filled with regret. “I owe you an apology for… for overcomplicating things.”

“Well… it was my fault too. I should have known you would not appreciate what I did, but sometimes I tend to forget that you humans think differently about many things.”

Minji felt the weight on her shoulders lighten as the red in his eyes faded. He did not appear to be angry anymore, just frustrated, likely for the same reason she was. Talking should have been the first thing to do after she found out about the murder; her running away started a downward spiral leading to him being angry and disappointed which then again led to endless arguments.

She was relieved that he didn’t glare at her anymore, but he kept his distance which didn’t happen before. It saddened her somewhat since she missed being close to him, but she respected his wish to stay away from her. He probably had his reasons.

“Should we… go home soon?” she asked tentatively, meeting his unreadable gaze that conveyed nothing of what he was thinking, but his eyes were light blue, telling her that his resentment had disappeared. She wondered if he was aware how telling the play of colors in his iris could be—it often helped her in figuring out what was going through his head.

“It’s late already,” he said and walked back to the trail that would lead them to the parking lot at the edge of the woods. Minji followed him closely, her gaze wandering over the greenery nearby. Since the sun was sinking lower, it would get dark soon and she assumed that more demons would roam around the area later. Until then, she wanted to be home.

“Baëkhyun?” she asked as she caught up to him. He watched her from the corner of his eye and she took it as a cue to go on. “Do you want to eat dinner with me later?”

His eye widened slightly, as he hadn’t expected her to say something like that, but he wasn’t opposed to the offer. “Yes," he answered.

She smiled lightly, a skip in her steps when she walked on, not noticing how his lips quirked up at her elation. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they've done it! They managed to have a conversation without arguing. If that isnt progress... :D Why do I feel like a proud mom? xD  
> Thanks for reading, guys! Have a nice day~
> 
> ❤ Jessie


	19. Strawberries

A few days passed. Minji could tell that Baëkhyun wasn’t mad at her anymore, but he was tentative around her and didn’t get too close to her. He still accompanied her when she went to work, still ate dinner with her, still watched movies with her in the evenings, but nonetheless something between them had changed.

When they sat on the sofa, she didn’t snuggle up to him anymore, sitting a good meter away from him and he never moved closer. It made her feel awkward and also somewhat guilty because she thought that this was her fault. She missed their playful bickering, and his cheeky comments.

Minji asked herself why men had to be so complicated all the time. Even before their argument, Baëkhyun’s behavior often hadn’t made any sense to her. He would kiss her one second and call her annoying the next, tell her he hated humans and then spend the evening playing videogames with her. He was a walking contradiction and she constantly wondered what was going on in his handsome head. The prideful demon never told her and that likely wouldn’t change, especially not since he had become distant after their argument.

She wanted things to go back to normal between them and opted to ask Yixing for help. He knew both of them well and therefore he was the best choice for this. After she called him, he agreed to pick her up later in the evening to drive into town with her so they could talk without Baëkhyun listening in.

When the doorbell rang, she was ready to leave, having changed her clothes and applied make-up. She left her bedroom the same second Baëkhyun left the living room and they nearly collided with each other. He shot her a weird look when he saw that she was dressed up and opened his mouth to ask a question, but she was in a hurry and never noticed his intention, running to the front door and ripping it open.

“Yixing!” she said and hugged him briefly, hearing him chuckle in response.

“Are you ready?” the demon asked. He was in a good mood and happy to spend some time with his human friend.

“Yes, I just got dressed. You arrived at the perfect time,” she answered, holding her purse in her hand.

“What’s going on?” Baëkhyun’s irritated voice sounded from behind her and she turned to see him stand at the door to the living room, glaring in their direction.

Yixing smirked knowingly. “We’re going on a date,” he said, prompting Minji to gawk at him.

“I’m coming with you,” Baëkhyun answered and narrowed his eyes at the other demon.

“No!” Yixing and Minji said at the exact same time, not exactly serving to lift Baëkhyun’s bad mood.

“We want to spend the evening by ourselves. I’m sorry Baëkhyun. We‘ll go together next time, okay?” she said apologetically, knowing that she really needed Yixing’s help and it wouldn’t work if Baëkhyun listened in… However, she did feel guilty seeing his bitter frown after she told him she didn’t want him to accompany them. Biting her lip to hold in a sigh, she walked out the door with Yixing.

“If you don’t bring her back in one piece, you’re getting hell, Läy,” Baëkhyun growled lowly before they left. Yixing looked at him over his shoulder, sending him a reassuring smile.

“Noted. Don’t be so angry though, this really isn’t what you think it is,” he replied and waved as he walked down the stairs with Minji.

* * *

They ended up visiting a restaurant not too far from the Han River, being lucky enough to get the last window table before someone else snatched it away. Many people were here since it was a Friday evening and Minji spotted some couples among them who were obviously on a date. Feeling a pang in her heart, she concentrated on the menu and picked a random dish, not really caring about what she would eat. She had more important things to think about after all.

Yixing studied her calmly, knowing what was going through her mind even though she hadn’t voiced it. They had already talked about what had happened with Dongmin and Minji was grateful she could confide in him. He had proven again and again what a great friend he was, always supporting her.

“I noticed that you two seem distant from each other,” Yixing finally addressed the issue and she nodded.

“It’s been all weird between us since the disaster with my ex. We both overreacted in our own way and I wish I could take back some of the things I said to him, but it has happened and I can’t undo it,” Minji sighed, fidgeting with her napkin on the table. “Baëkhyun is good at hiding his true emotions and since I can’t be sure what’s on his mind, I don’t know what to do to reverse the damage… I was hoping you could help.”

Yixing’s lips quirked up and formed an optimistic smile, the sole sight of it already reassuring her. “I can easily see that this is weighing on you, and I can assure you that it’s the same for him. He is good at hiding his feelings, but I’ve known him for centuries and it’s not that hard anymore to read him.”

“And what do you think I should do? I’m at a loss right now. I’ve apologized and we’ve been spending time together, but nothing ever changes,” she whispered desperately, already feeling the tears coming.

“You need to make him understand that you appreciate him and that he means a lot to you. How about you gift him something special? That’s what I would do in your stead,” he suggested.

“Gift him… something,” she mumbled as her thoughts began to run wild. She had gifted him a new silver chain before, but he didn’t need another one so that wasn’t an option. What else could he need? Maybe a new game for his PS4? Then again, he already had so many and she didn’t know which games he liked to play anyways. Minji put a finger to her chin, her eyes roaming through the restaurant, over tables and people, until they came to rest on a waiter who carried desserts. Her eyes lit up when she got an idea.

“I… I think I know!” she sputtered, almost knocking her chair over when she leaned forward excitedly. “Baëkhyun loves strawberry shortcake! I could make one for him.”

Yixing smiled to himself, amused at how happy she was all of a sudden. He found her eagerness to get along with Baëkhyun very endearing and wanted to support them both every way he could. Of course he’d never tell his grumpy demon friend, but Yixing found them very cute as a couple. He was one hundred percent sure that they weren’t even official yet, but that could change…

“I’m sure he’d be happy about that,” Yixing replied lightly. “He’s going to shower you with kisses.”

The teasing tone of his voice had her blush bright red in a second and she hid her face behind her hands in embarrassment. “Y-Yixing, what are you talking about?!”

“Huh, I thought you missed kissing him,” he answered confusedly.

“How did you know that?” she asked, her eyes wide and filled with surprised. The demon smirked cheekily.

“I didn’t know—you just told me, Minji.”

“I… I can’t believe you!” she said but couldn’t hold back a laugh. “That was a smart move, I have to give you that.”

“Well, you learn a lot about humans when you spend a few decades on earth,” he grinned.

“That’s a long time,” she mumbled, pondering over it in her head. “You are incredibly good at blending in with humans. I would have never expected you to be a demon. There was not a single thing off with you, nothing at all. Baëkhyun on the other hand literally tells everyone that he’s a demon. He opens his mouth and shouts it in everybody’s face,” she said with a giggle, remembering his encounter with Chaeyoung. “One time he met my friend and told her that he is a demon. She thought he was doing a roleplay or something.”

“That must have been an interesting conversation,” Yixing laughed.

“It was… I was sweating so hard, fearing she would actually believe him,” she sighed and shook her head. “Thankfully she didn’t.”

“Would that have been so bad, though?”

“I want to keep her away from all this supernatural stuff. It would do no good to introduce her to demons, ghosts and…. uh… fairies.”

Yixing chuckled. “Have you ever seen a fairy?”

“No, never. I heard they are very shy.”

“True, they rarely show themselves. Maybe you’ll get to see one… some day,” Yixing said and shrugged. “But they also like to play pranks, so you better not go looking for them. It gets annoying.”

Now he had piqued her interest, her eyes gleaming in fascination. “Really?!”

“Huh, why are you so happy about that?” Yixing laughed and shook his head in disbelief. “Fairies are cheeky; they do stuff like misplace your car keys or switch out your shampoo with dish detergent. As I said, it gets annoying to have them around.”

“Sounds like it happened to you before.”

The disgusted curl of his lips was very telling and Minji just knew that he must have been the poor victim of a bored fairy once. The idea was so funny to her that she almost cried tears laughing, prompting him to roll his eyes, but he couldn’t hold back a grin seeing her so happy.

Time passed by quickly while they were talking, and after they finished their food, they left the restaurant. It wasn’t that late yet, but the first stars and the moon on the sky were already visible.

“You know what? We should go grocery shopping before we head back… I need to get some ingredients for the cake,” Minji said.

“Good idea. That way he won’t notice what you’re planning. Do you have a recipe?”

“Yes, it’s saved on my phone,” she smiled as they walked to his car.

* * *

When she returned home, she hugged Yixing goodbye, thanking him for the beautiful evening.

“Good luck with your plan, I’m rooting for you,” the demon grinned before he left and Minji closed the front door, intending to hide the bag with the groceries as soon as possible, but of course a certain someone was faster.

“What plan?”

She flinched violently, turning around to see Baëkhyun standing in the doorway. He crossed his arms and scrutinized her from head to toe, gaze briefly darting over the bag in her hands.

“Oh… um… nothing important,” she smiled nervously. Minji had never been good at hiding things, but now she really had to do all it took because she wanted to surprise him—and surprises had the most impact when the person didn’t see them coming!

“Where did you go?” he asked, not coming closer and watching her from afar. There was a suspicious red hue in his iris.

“We went to a restaurant in the city center,” she said sheepishly and played with a strand of her long hair, curling it around her finger to distract herself from her nervousness.

“So it was a date after all,” he muttered and turned around to head back to the living room without waiting for an answer.

“It wasn’t!” she called after him, but he didn’t seem to be interested in listening to her anymore.

“Damn it!” she cursed. “Why is he so difficult?” Shouldn’t he know that Yixing and her were just friends? Sighing deeply, she picked up the bag and carried it to the kitchen, putting some of the ingredients in the fridge and keeping the rest on the counter. She had planned to make the cake tomorrow, but seeing how annoyed he was, maybe she should just make it now—perhaps it would brighten his mood. Minji wanted to put things right between them as soon as possible and even though she was tired, she got to work immediately, rummaging through cupboards, readying various bowls for the ingredients.

There was just one thing she hadn’t counted in. What if he walked into the kitchen as long as she was still busy? She had to make sure he stayed away without revealing her plan to him. Heading to the living room, she was met with the unexpected sight of Mochi sleeping next to his thigh while he played a PS4 game.

“Baëkhyun?”

“What is it?” he grumbled without looking away from the tv screen.

“I’m going to clean the kitchen now, so you better not get in the way, okay?” she said. “If you come in, you have to help me!”

“I’m not cleaning anything, so don’t worry about that,” he replied and clicked his tongue annoyedly. “Weirdo.”

Holding in a retort, she turned back and closed the kitchen door. That should keep him away for a while! Now she just had to get to work and not mess this up.

She took several ingredients, put them in a bowl and mixed them to make the cake batter. This was the easy part that didn’t need much effort, she just had to make sure she used the right amount of each ingredient. While she turned on the oven, she buttered a springform pan and dusted it with flour before pouring the batter into it.

“So far so good,” she mumbled and glanced at the clock to check until when it had to stay in the oven. She set an alarm on her smartphone just to make sure she wouldn’t miss it and put the pan in the pre-heated oven.

Next, she cut the strawberries in even pieces, putting them in another bowl. She couldn’t help herself and ended up snacking on them every now and then, but of course she left enough for the cake. By the time she was finished preparing the strawberries and cleaning up the kitchen, she heard the alarm on her smartphone ring and turned off the oven. The sweet smell of freshly baked cake hung in the air and she prayed that Baëkhyun wouldn’t notice anything.

Holding back a tired yawn, she opened the oven, planning to put the cake on the counter using a cloth to protect her hands from the heat, but she was unlucky and accidentally touched the hot pan with her wrist. The pain came instantaneously, shooting up her arm like a bullet. She let go of the pan and stumbled back with a strangled cry, clutching her wrist that was reddening already. The pain had tears well up in her eyes. However, a sudden realization made her freeze in her spot.

He’d notice… he’d notice the cake and the strawberries, and her surprise would be ruined—

The kitchen door was torn open not a second later, just like she had predicted. Baëkhyun stormed in and spotted her kneeling on the ground, holding on to her wrist. His eyes zeroed in on the injury and he let out a breath. “Minji, what are you doing? Didn’t you say you wanted to clean? This doesn’t look like cleaning to me,” he said. Scrunching his brows, he crouched in front of her. “Let me see.”

He took her arm and turned it carefully to take a look at the red burn. “You’re too clumsy,” he uttered. “Unbelievable.” To her astonishment, he seemed more worried than angry, lifting her body up and setting her down on the counter next to the sink. He turned on the tap and tugged at her hand until her wrist was under the flowing cold water. The coldness had a soothing effect on the burn and calmed the ache.

“Keep it under the water. I’m going to look for burn ointment. There should be some left in the first-aid kit,” he said and left her alone for a moment.

She sighed to herself, cursing her bad luck. This could have been the perfect surprise, but of course she had to ruin it. Why couldn’t things have gone the way she wanted for one single time? She just wanted to have him back, why was it so hard? Tears of frustration spilled over and trickled down her cheeks, dropping down her chin.

“What’s wrong now?” she heard Baëkhyun ask when he was back, yet again keeping his distance without realizing that this only caused her to feel worse. “Are you hurt anywhere else?” He sounded nervous, reaching out a hand to her, but then he faltered, his hand forming a fist when he retracted it.

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and sniffled. “I miss you.”

He watched her with wide blue eyes, thinking he had misheard her, but she looked at him so pleadingly that he knew she had really said it.

“Baëkhyun, I miss you so much,” she cried and he felt the pain within her heart, stabbing like a knife. His resolve to stay away from her crumbled to dust within a few seconds and he bridged the gap between them with two strides, standing in between her legs that were dangling down the counter.

She barely had the chance to look at him before he enveloped her in his arms and pulled her into his chest. His hold was tight, but not uncomfortable and she found herself calming down. “Stop crying,” he uttered and rested his chin on her head, his fingers gently brushing over her hair. She took a deep breath, burying her face in the soft fabric of his hoodie, wrapping her arms around his body. She clung to him and refused to let go for a while. _How she had missed this._ Her heart fluttered and suddenly she didn’t feel bad anymore. The pain in her heart disappeared and was replaced by the liberating feeling of relief.

“What were you doing in here?” he asked when he finally had time to look around in the kitchen, spotting the open oven and the baking pan, as well as the bowl with the strawberries.

“It was supposed to be a surprise for you, but I ruined it,” she whispered regretfully, clinging to his hoodie.

“A… surprise?” he echoed in disbelief, glancing down at her with wide eyes.

“Yes. Yixing and I bought ingredients for a cake earlier because I wanted to bake one for you,” she explained. “I wanted to… to set things right between us since I can’t stand it when you’re so distant all the time.”

He fell silent at her words, his eyes staring into space. His hand stroked the back of her head when she leaned it against his chest. “I didn’t know you felt this way,” he said and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

She would have fallen off the counter if he hadn’t held her, the astonishment literally knocking her over. Did he just say _sorry_? He never did that; he was much too proud to admit a mistake and to apologize for it. Her jaw dropped. “T-That’s unexpected,” she breathed.

“We should do something about that injury, it’s still hurting,” he said and let go of her to get the first-aid kit, searching its contents until he had found what he needed. Pulling up the long sleeve of her shirt to her elbow, he took the burn ointment and gently turned her wrist so the angry burn was visible. She watched as he carefully spread it over the injury, his face looking so concentrated that she had to suppress an amused smile. He made it seem like this was a complicated task when it really wasn’t.

“Be more careful next time, sugar,” he mumbled, briefly glancing up at her, his piercing eyes causing her to blush.

“It was an accident!”

“That’s what you always say.”

“Because it’s always true.”

“How did you survive for so long without losing a limb? You’re lucky I’m around now,” he said smugly, raising his chin.

“Don’t get cocky,” she grumbled.

“You’re clumsy as hell and you can’t change my mind,” he retorted while he wrapped a bandage around her wrist, again being careful not to hurt her. “And also, you humans are made of glass. It’s insane how easily you get hurt. You can’t even survive getting hit by a few bullets without dying.”

She looked at him like he had lost his mind. “Of course not! ”

“See, that’s the problem!”

“Why is that a problem?” she asked and pouted. “You’re so mean.”

“I was just stating the obvious,” he said, but cringed when he noticed the sulky expression on her face. He let out a sigh and inched closer, hugging her once more. “Oh sugar, I wasn’t serious. You’re fine the way you are.”

Her heart swelled and she was suddenly overcome by joy, warmth pooling in her stomach. She smiled at him and embraced him tighter, his familiar scent of ash and cinnamon enveloping her. “That’s what someone says who wants to get a slice of cake,” she teased.

“Maybe,” he chuckled.

“I still need to finish it and I hope my injury doesn’t get in the way,” she mumbled more to herself than to him, but his keen hearing picked up her words and he frowned.

“Knowing you, you’ll only hurt yourself again,” he said. “Let _me_ finish the cake. It can’t be that hard.”

“But it was a surprise for you and if you finish it, then it’s… it’s not the same,” she said sadly, her body slumping against his while she hugged him.

“It’s fine. Your surprise was a success even if it didn’t turn out the way you planned. You had me fooled until you burned yourself.”

“That’s reassuring,” she remarked sarcastically.

He let go of her and took a step back to shoot her a strict glare. “Don’t move an inch! And don’t move your wrist either.”

She snorted, amused by his concern about a small burn. Of course it hurt, but it certainly wouldn’t kill her. “Okay, I get it. What are you planning to do, Baëkhyun?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve never made a cake before, you tell me.”

“That means I’m the boss from now on,” she smirked.

Instantly, his eyes darkened and he crossed his arms. “No! I’m not listening to anyone!”

“You could be a gentleman for once and make an exception for me?”

“Forget it.”

“Please?” she said and glanced at him with big brown doe eyes, pouting cutely. “Does this change your mind? I know you can’t refuse this pout.”

“You’re unbelievable,” he complained and rolled his eyes.

“That’s my line.”

“Minji, I swear. Just shut up now!”

“But if I shut up, I can’t tell you what to do. You’ll ruin the cake!”

He rolled his eyes and huffed. “I’m going to figure it out myself.” He took the pan out of the oven, touching it with his bare hands without batting an eye. The heat really didn’t bother him, she didn’t feel a thing. He set it down on top of the stove and looked around for a moment, his eyes zeroing in on the ingredients strewn around the kitchen. Glancing around undecidedly, he eventually took the flour bag in his hand.

“ _Baëkhyuuun_ , what do you need the flour for?” she drawled, holding in a giggle.

“For the cake, obviously,” he retorted. “I’m putting it on top.”

She almost fell off the counter so quickly did she reach her hand out to stop him. “No!” she screamed. “Don’t!”

“Why not?”

“You’d ruin everything!” she cried dramatically. “Give me the flour!”

“I told you not to move, stay where you are!” he said, glaring at her.

“Give me the flour now!”

“Nope,” he drawled, smirking confidently.

She hopped off the counter and reached her hand out to it, but he held it up in the air so that she couldn’t touch it. Jumping up, her fingertips nearly reached it, and yet it wasn’t enough. “I want the flour!” she yelled frantically, no longer paying attention to what was going on around her.

Again she jumped, her fingertips finally reaching it and setting off a chain of events that would end in disaster.

Too focused on her, Baëkhyun lost his grip on the flour bag and she managed to knock it from his hands. It went flying and they were showered in its contents, most of it sticking to Baëkhyun’s hoodie and her hair. The rest fell on the floor and left a white cloud behind. Minji cringed when she slipped on it, flailing about but she couldn’t catch herself and lost her balance. Baëkhyun’s eyes widened seeing her tumbling towards him and knocking him down too. He had the sense to wrap his arms around her, shielding her body before they hit the ground. Now they really were drenched in flour from top to bottom, her hair just as white as his.

She coughed and pushed herself up, climbing off him. “Damnit, demon! Look what you did!”

He seemed taken aback and also very offended, opening his mouth to give her a tirade. “That was entirely your fault! I didn’t do anything!”

“Oh yes, you wanted to kill my poor cake!”

He clicked his tongue, sitting up and flicking some flour off his now white hoodie.

“You look like a snowman,” she suddenly said and began to laugh uncontrollably, tears spilling from her eyes as she doubled over. “Hilarious!”

He couldn’t bring himself to complain, her laughter being contagious and prompting him to chuckle. “If I’m a snowman, then you’re a ghost.”

“I’m fine with that,” she grinned and got up, leaning against the counter and looking at the battlefield that was their kitchen. “I wonder who’s going to clean all that,” she said and pointed at Baëkhyun. “The snowman over there looks like he could help.”

“Not me.”

“But I thought you were a strong demon. Prove it!”

“What does my strength have to do with cleaning?”

“Everything! Use your _amazing_ demon powers to make the kitchen spotless,” she said sarcastically, putting her hands on her hips.

“It doesn’t work like that,” he grumbled sourly.

“Let’s just do it together. We haven’t finished the cake yet either,” she sighed and walked off to get the vacuum cleaner. That should take care of the problem quickly. In the meantime, he used a cleaning rag to get the flour off the countertops, scrubbing over them until they were clean. It didn’t even take them fifteen minutes to get the kitchen back to its earlier state.

“That’s that. Now the cake…” she mumbled and glanced at Baëkhyun who looked ridiculous covered in flour. “Or maybe taking a shower first would be better…”

“I agree with that, let’s go,” he said and took her uninjured wrist to pull her towards the bathroom, but she dug her heels into the ground.

“What do you mean, let’s go? We’re not taking a shower together.”

“Yes, we are,” he smirked.

“You just want to see me naked,” she huffed under her breath.

“True,” he admitted shamelessly, her cheeks going red, “But it’s a two-way-street. You get to see _me_ naked too. I know you want to, Minji. Sounds like _fun_ , doesn’t it?” His seductive smirk flustered her to a point where she couldn’t look him in the eyes anymore.

“What did you just say?! _You don’t want cake?_ Okay, that can be arranged,” she said and saw him stiffen.

“Buzzkill,” he grumbled and let go of her wrist to trudge towards the bathroom alone, sulking quietly.

“Pervert,” she whispered, but couldn’t hold in a soft smile. Baëkhyun surely was special…

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!
> 
> I thought I should update a little earlier this time and added a ton of fluff to the chapter. :D Hope you liked it!   
> Till next time~
> 
> ❤Jessie


	20. Jealousy

On Saturday afternoon, Minji sat on the couch in the living room and once again tried to make use of the magic that was contained within her. She had practiced during the past days, but controlling the foreign new power wasn’t easy at all. Most of the time, she barely managed to create a pathetic little spark—it was frustrating.

She stared at her open palm and concentrated, trying to get a feeling for her magic. It was like a second heartbeat in her chest, pulsing faintly in its own rhythm. She wanted to create a shining orb in her hand, but her magic stayed locked in within her and did not do what it was supposed to, no matter how hard she tried.

“Maybe I should do something else,” she uttered and continued her undertaking by staring at the bright lamp on the ceiling instead. She took a deep breath and concentrated on the light, attempting to control it using sheer willpower, but the light did not bend to her will. Nothing happened. The lamp didn’t turn off, didn’t even flicker.

“If you keep glaring at the lamp, it’s going to melt,” a haughty voice commented her fruitless efforts and caused her anger to resurface. “You’re doing it wrong again!”

“Oh, great. Could you actually help me out instead of mocking me?” she snapped surly, hating that he saw her fail again and again. His dumb smug smirk did nothing to ease the embarrassment.

“Sure, but you’ll need to calm down first,” he sighed and sat down next to her. He surprised her when he took her hand in a gentle hold, turning it so their flat palms were touching. Her anger faded and curiosity took its place as she watched him with interest, not knowing what he intended to do. When she felt warmth seeping from his fingertips to hers, her eyes widened.

“Can you sense this?” he asked, tilting his head.

“Yes. What are you doing?”

“I’m sharing my magic with you. It might be easier for you to get a hang of controlling it if I’m giving you a jump start,” he explained. “Envision what you want the light to do.”

A gradual flow of magic moved through her entire body, resonating with her. It pulsed softly, its intensity getting stronger now that they shared it. She kept looking at their connected hands and imagined glowing particles floating through the air, forming a sphere of light. With a little bit of support on his part, her magic finally appeared, taking on the form of bright rays originating from her hands. It was uncontrollable and too powerful; blinding her.

He forced the light to dim, giving her the opportunity to realize what she wanted to do from the start. A glowing orb came into existence, hovering over their intertwined hands. It looked like a tiny gleaming star, its dazzling rays of light reflecting in Baëkhyun’s eyes.

Minji couldn’t take her gaze away from the sight. His iris gleamed in all shades of blue, reminding her of the shimmering ocean when it was illuminated by the sun. He didn’t notice her gaze at first, too concentrated on helping her channel her magic, but when he looked up to meet her eyes, he paused. Over the shining light, they kept looking at each other, both mesmerized by the sight that greeted them.

Minji hadn’t felt this close to him in a while, knowing it was due to the magic. Its constant gentle flow connected them. She wouldn’t have thought it possible after their terrible argument not long ago, but she was at peace being with him. The storm in her heart had calmed.

“Thank you,” she whispered, watching the tiny star with joy. “This is easier with your help.”

“I’m not doing all that much, it’s mostly you,” he answered, his tone softer than before. “You need practice, but I’m sure you can learn to master it.”

She gazed in his twinkling eyes, feeling her heart flutter. Biting her lip, she tried to focus on the light between them which suddenly brightened and grew bigger without her doing anything noteworthy. She parted her lips in surprise, watching the spectacle in awe. When she wished for more orbs to appear, tiny dots of light came into existence and spread through the living room. She felt them, sensed them around her like they were alive. It was incredible; she could hardly believe what she was seeing—it could have been a dream.

However, the longer she made use of the magic, the more tired she became. It drained her, and her body began to burn from the strain it put on her. Baëkhyun apparently noticed and made the magic disappear.

“That’s enough for now. You can practice more tomorrow,” he decided and let go of her hands.

“Why didn’t it work before, though?” she asked, still looking at her hands in fascination.

“You seem to have trouble releasing your magic. That’s what I did for you just now,” he explained, before his gaze darkened slightly. “But you need to be careful with this kind of magic. It’s not meant to be used by humans and if you overdo it, it could damage your body.”

“I’ll be careful,” she answered, gnawing on her lower lip when a thought struck her. She leaned her body against the backrest of the sofa, keeping her gaze locked with Baëkhyun’s. “What about witches? They are able to use magic too, right? Isn’t it also dangerous for them?”

His lips twitched, amusement at her childlike curiosity swirling through his blue eyes. “Witches use a different kind of magic. It’s not as strong as demon magic, and it’s not as destructive either. The only difference would be blood magic.”

“Jangmi said it’s dangerous,” Minji mumbled.

“To a human, surely. Blood mages use blood sacrifices to strengthen their magical power, for example dead animals and in some cases humans. You better not get close to them,” he said and shot her a sharp glare that made her sit up straighter.

“How would I recognize them?” she asked, not liking the serious tone of his voice. If he warned her of something, it was usually on another level of dangerous.

“If you practice more, you will be able to distinguish between several types of magic. Theirs has a disgusting coldness to it. Almost as if it’s dead and rotten,” he said, curling his lips in distaste.

“Uh… okay?” she mumbled, not able to imagine much even after hearing his explanation.

“Don’t think too much about it, it’s unlikely you would ever meet a blood mage,” he said and she hoped he was right.

* * *

A few days later, Minji was busy doing another interview for Yixing and Baëkhyun tagged along, refusing to let her go on her own. They were busy for most of the day, so when they returned home she was tired, wanting to spend the rest of the evening watching movies.

However, an unexpected text from Jisoo changed her plans. She asked if they could meet and insisted on visiting her at home since she apparently wanted to meet Baëkhyun in person. Jisoo was stubborn, just as stubborn as Baëkhyun, Minji noted with a deep sigh. She couldn’t talk her out of it.

Half an hour later, the doorbell rang and Minji received a curious stare from Baëkhyun before she ran off to open the front door.

“I missed you, girl! How are you?” Jisoo smiled widely at her, hugging her tightly.

“I’m okay… everything has been cleared up,” Minji answered, receiving a conspiratorial glance from Jisoo who lowered her voice to a whisper.

“You made up? That’s great! I was worried about you, but it looks like you handled everything well,” Jisoo grinned. “And now I want to see the demon myself.”

“Mhm,” Minji replied, less enthusiastic than her friend. She let her into the flat and closed the door, walking back to the living room with Jisoo in tow.

“Baëkhyun, we have a visitor! Be a good boy,” she called.

“I’m not a dog, you idiot!” he yelled back in his typical grumpy fashion, causing Jisoo to smirk.

“This is going to be interesting,” she said under her breath, ignoring Minji’s eye roll.

When they entered the living room, she spotted the demon immediately, sitting on the sofa with one arm on the backrest while he lazily watched a random movie. His blue eyes were glued to the screen, his snow-white hair standing out even in the dimly lit room. Jisoo gaped at him, finding him incredibly attractive with the delicate silver chain over his nose. She glanced at Minji who didn’t notice her surprise and gestured for her to sit down on the other sofa.

“Can you at least say hello?” Minji nagged when she got comfortable next to her friend who was smitten with the demon even though he hardly acknowledged her. Only after Minji complained, he looked at Jisoo briefly, eyes narrowing a little.

“Are you a witch?” he asked out of the blue, making both women stiffen. They exchanged a glance before Jisoo quickly talked herself out of it.

“No, why would you think that? I just have a talent for using magic,” she smiled nervously.

_Yeah, what a talent she had._ Minji rolled her eyes.

“Witches have a certain aura, and it’s just like yours,” he went on suspiciously, scrutinizing her from head to toe, his piercing glare making even Minji lose her cool.

“My grandma is a witch. Are you happy now?”

He grumbled something under his breath and considered the conversation as finished, ignoring her from then on. His blue eyes were fixed on the tv and he put one leg on the sofa, not caring in the slightest about manners or being polite.

Jisoo sent him a curious glance but didn’t bother him anymore. Instead, she focused on her friend, smiling widely. “I’ve read your interview with Jackson, by the way! I’m so jealous, girl!” she gushed. “Was he nice? Did you like him?”

Jisoo was acting like the biggest fangirl ever, but since Minji was already used to this kind of behavior, it didn’t surprise her anymore.

“Yes, he was such a gentleman! You really should have met him too, he’s even nicer than he’s usually portrayed in the media. It’s easy to get along with him. After I talked to him for like ten minutes, it already felt like we’d been friends for a long time. He is special,” Minji recounted dreamily, giggling when Jisoo gaped at her, eyes filled with envy.

“Oh damn, I bet he was so kind to you! Did you flirt?”

“Um… not really? I’m shy when it comes to that,” Minji admitted bashfully, casting her eyes towards the ground.

“Aww, Minji! You should have tried harder!” Jisoo cackles, nudging her with her elbow. Her smile turned conspiratorial as she leaned closer to her friend. “He is single right now! You have the best chances!”

Minji blushed bright red at the insinuation, not knowing what to answer.

“Did that not convince you?”

“Well, I can’t deny that he is attractive and… um… was very kind to me too. The first time I met him, he showed me pictures of his dog on his phone. That was so cute! Turns out he loves animals,” Minji recalled with a happy smile which was mirrored by Jisoo.

“Oh, does he? Maybe you could meet him again. Your boss surely still has his number?” Jisoo suggested.

“Yixing probably has it, yeah.”

“Then ask him! The least he could do after your successful work is giving you Jackson’s number!” she said before a grin formed on her lips. “And do you know what else I heard? He is supposedly very good in bed.”

Minji squeaked, blushing even harder, while Jisoo giggled seeing her horrified expression. Baëkhyun sent death glares in their direction, his eyes glowing ruby red. He got up abruptly, catching their attention in a heartbeat.

“What’s wrong?” Minji asked.

“I’m leaving. You are insufferable!” he hissed. She thought he looked like a pissed-off bristling cat, his tense posture only adding to the sentiment.

“Huh, but why? Where are you going?”

“Hell,” was his terse answer before he opened a portal in front of their very eyes and vanished, leaving a faint smell of ash and smoke behind.

“D-Did he just _open a portal to hell in my LIVING ROOM?”_ Minji screeched, jumping to her feet and staring at the spot where it had been a few seconds ago. “How dare he! We talked about this before! This is the most important rule in this house and he broke it!”

“Aww, did I make him jelly?” Jisoo smirked evilly, rubbing her hands. “I’m surprised he managed to hold out for so long until he cracked. He’s stubborn, but I’m worse!”

“Wait, what are you talking about?”

“I came here to find out if my suspicion about him was correct or not, and so I tried to see if I could get a reaction from him. Did you really think I was talking about Jackson by coincidence?” Jisoo grinned. She was very pleased with her plan and how it turned out. “I was testing him and it seems like he got a little riled up. Very interesting.”

“You shouldn’t _test_ a demon, Jisoo. That could end badly,” Minji warned her.

“Did you see how jealous he got, though? It was _totally_ worth it,” Jisoo replied cheekily. “He was fuming!”

“Huh, why would he be jealous?” Minji asked and raised her eyebrows.

“Are you really this dense or are you pretending?”

“I’m not dense!”

“Sorry to say this, but you are! Anyways, now that I’ve finally met him, I know one thing for sure. He is grumpy and so rude, what the heck? He didn’t even greet me,” she groaned, to which Minji could only agree. “How do you put up with his attitude?”

“Well, when he starts nagging, I start nagging too, then he eventually shuts up. We’re getting along.”

“Sounds like you’re on the same wavelength,” Jisoo laughed. “At least I needn’t worry anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve felt guilty for a long time after finding out about the spell going out of control since I was worried that he would hurt you like Dongmin, but it looks like I worried for nothing. He doesn’t seem to pose a danger to you, he’s just ill-mannered… and judging by the jealousy I saw just now, he has grown to like you,” Jisoo grinned.

Minji couldn’t hold back the pink that spread over her cheeks and to her ears. She hugged her knees and avoided Jisoo’s knowing smirk, glancing at the coffee table instead.

“I don’t know if a demon can… like a _human_ ,” she mumbled quietly.

“Why do you think bonds exist?” Jisoo said exasperatedly. “Of course they can! The whole idea behind a bond is to prolong the life of the human so they can be together.”

Minji fell silent and mulled over her words in her head. She had a point, but…

“But he hates humans, he’s told me so many times!” she said unsurely. “Why would he like me?”

“Maybe he doesn’t hate _all_ humans and maybe you’re his favorite,” Jisoo grinned.

* * *

Baëkhyun came back two hours later, when Minji was more than tired and ready to go to sleep. He unexpectedly jumped through a portal and appeared in her kitchen, surprising her. She almost let go of the glass she had in her hand and flinched.

“Can you not randomly appear out of thin air?” she grumbled, putting it on the counter.

“Is your friend finally gone?” was his only answer. Minji thought he looked a little less annoyed than before he left, but the slight crease on his brow revealed to her that he still wasn’t completely over it. Had he really been jealous, though? Or was he just annoyed because of Jisoo?

“She went home a while ago. Why did you leave?” she asked, causing his eyes to narrow.

“Do you expect me to listen to your ridiculous rambling?” he huffed, and in Minji’s opinion, the twitch of his lips paired with the pissed-off scowl made him look sulky. She grinned, seeing an opportunity to tease him.

“You were not interested in Jackson?” she asked innocently.

“Why are you suddenly so into him, huh?”

“Because he’s the nicest man I know,” she retorted, making him falter.

“I can be nice too!” he shouted angrily, leaning closer to her.

“Yeah, I can see that,” she said sarcastically. “You’re yelling, though.”

“I’m not yelling!” he yelled.

Minji cracked. She couldn’t hold in her laughter any longer and nearly cried tears. He was so easy to tease; it was a bit sad on his part. She knew how to push his buttons and he always fell for it. “Oh, Baëkhyun,” she giggled. “You’re something else.”

He stared at her, flustering her with his intense gaze. “So you admit that I’m special,” he said haughtily.

She smiled. “I do.”

Now he looked surprised but didn’t need long to curl his lips into a smirk. “That’s good,” he said before he let out a soft sigh. “There’s something you need to know,” Baëkhyun continued. “I saw Suhø earlier in hell and he’s obsessed with meeting you, so he asked if you were up for it.”

“Who is he?”

“One of my friends.”

“You have _friends_?”

“Of course I do! What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, I was just kidding. I know that you have friends,” she replied sheepishly. “You just never mention them, I usually get to know them by coincidence, like that one time when Kai and the others visited us. In fact, you hardly talk about yourself, Baëkhyun. I don’t know all that much about you, if I’m honest, and it’s a bit frustrating.”

“You could always ask,” he said and crossed his arms, leaning his back against the wall as he watched her.

“Do you have… a family?” she asked reluctantly, unsure whether it was too personal but he didn’t seem to mind the question.

“Sure, but I’m not close to them. Haven’t seen my parents in over a century, they could be dead for all I know,” he shrugged, giving her the sense that demons did not value their family the same way humans did.

“S-So you have a _mother_ and a _father_?” she asked, her eyes wide. She didn’t know why it astounded her so much, but she had a hard time imagining that.

He smirked mischievously, amused by her innocent questions and the wonder in her gaze. “How do you think I came into existence? Don’t you know how babies are made?” he said and his smirk widened when she flushed. “Maybe you want me to show you?”

She coughed, avoiding his piercing eyes. “That’s not necessary,” she stuttered embarrassedly, regretting her stupid question. “I just thought… demons are born in… uh… hellfire?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “No, that’s ridiculous. You’ve watched too many movies, sugar.”

“Do you have a home in hell?” she asked, trying to change the topic before it became too awkward for her and to her relief, he didn’t seem to mind.

“I do, it’s a villa that is so much bigger than your flat. Each room is spacious and lavishly furnished,” he said arrogantly, prompting her to groan at his smugness. “It offers a magnificent view over the flames of purgatory.”

“I want to see it,” she said, her curiosity sparked even though it annoyed that he acted so haughty again.

His smirk slipped and his eyes narrowed. “No,” he said seriously.

“But why not? Do you not like visitors?” she pouted. “Is your house messy?”

He looked dead serious now, eyes dyeing red, surprising her with the intensity of his stare. Her breath hitched when he leaned down so their noses almost touched. “You can’t ever go to hell, do you understand, Minji? A human would not survive there for long. Hell is a place for the dead, not the living. It’s very dangerous and it wouldn’t take a day for you to lose your life,” he said gravely. She gulped. “As much as I want to show you my home, we can’t risk this.” Behind the irritation on his face, she saw worry. “Promise me you’ll never go there.”

“I promise.”

“Good,” he said, and playfully ruffled her hair, losing the tension that had suddenly been in his posture. “And now back to what I wanted to tell you before you started with your weird questions. Suhø invited us to meet him and my other friends, are you coming?”

“Uhm, sure? What exactly are we going to do?” she wanted to know.

He rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed. “Swimming.”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can never write enough fluffy scenes with these two, it's too much fun! Next chapter will be just that again with the addition of chaotic X-EXO. LOL I'm giving you a hint: Kai is going to do all he can to play matchmaker and it's going to end in an interesting way. ;D  
> Hope you liked it! <3 Stay safe~
> 
> ❤︎ Jessie


	21. Hotter than Hell

The next afternoon, Minji was busy getting ready to meet up with the other demons, glad she still had a bikini in her wardrobe that she could wear today. She had prepared a few towels and sunscreen as well as something to eat and drink, but since she wasn’t sure what exactly the demons had planned for today, she was a bit nervous. Baëkhyun hadn’t told her much about this Suhø and his other friends, so she wasn’t sure what to expect. At least she had already met Sehůn, Chanyeøl, Chën and Kāi… and as far as she knew, her friends Yixing and Jangmi would be there too. That didn’t sound bad at all, now that she thought about it.

The weather was gorgeous, perfect to go swimming. It was hot outside and there was no breeze to cool her down. She had put her long black hair up in a ponytail and wore her blue bikini under a light summer dress. Even Baëkhyun was dressed more casually today than usual, wearing short black trousers and a lose shirt. He seemed to look forward to meeting his friends since his mood was quite good today.

Minji walked into the kitchen to get a bottle of water from the fridge, but she got a huge scare when she ran right into Kāi who had appeared out of thin air. She collided with him, stumbling back, but he caught her and prevented her from falling.

“Oh wow, you’re so into me,” he commented with a seductive grin that made her blush. “Baëkhyun must be quite boring when you’re throwing yourself at me like that.”

“K-Kāi?!” she squeaked.

“The one and only!” he grinned proudly. “You’re not naked this time,” he remarked, sounding disappointed.

Her cheeks colored red. “You pervert! I’m not running around without clothes at home, what did you expect?”

“Hm, that’s odd.”

“What do you mean, odd?! It’s completely normal to wear clothes,” she screeched in embarrassment, inwardly cursing this unashamed demon. Only because he liked showing off his abs didn’t mean it was the same for everybody!

He chuckled lowly and waggled his eyebrows, leaning closer to her. “Oh, you know. I would have expected _someone_ to make a move on you but you two are lamer than I thought. Shouldn’t you be all over each other? Maybe I could spice things up a bit!” His eyes gleamed with evil joy, promising nothing but chaos.

“W-What are you even—” she began but cut herself off when he got so close to her that their noses were touching, hypnotizing her with his strong gaze. Her words got stuck in her throat.

“Get the fuck away from her!” a very irritated voice boomed from behind her, causing the smirk on Kāi’s face to widen. He snickered mischievously, intent on causing trouble.

“Make me,” he grinned and stuck his tongue out childishly. “I’m taking her somewhere else,” he said, earning a growl from Baëkhyun. Rays of light appeared around his body, illuminating the kitchen. Minji stared at Kāi who put his arm loosely around her shoulders and winked at her, whispering, “We’re going to have some fun without this lame ass.”

Before Baëkhyun could do anything, Minji was surrounded by pitch-black darkness. Nausea washed over her, nearly making her vomit, but then her sight cleared and she found herself standing in paradise.

Her mouth fell open in astonishment and she couldn’t believe her eyes. An endless white beach laid in front of her, vibrant green palm trees offering shade from the sweltering sun. To her right, the bright blue ocean glimmered in a beautiful play of colors. It was turquoise near the beach and faded to dark blue farther away. Minji had never in her life set foot on such a beautiful place and was speechless. _His teleportation ability certainly was useful._ She was jealous of him, knowing that he could come by for a visit any time he wanted to.

“I take it you like the view,” Kāi laughed, standing next to her and watching her reaction.

“It’s incredible!” she breathed.

“Great, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear! Suhø chose this place, you should thank him later,” Kāi added, and Minji finally noticed the group of people standing not far from them. Some of them she recognized, others were unfamiliar to her. “Let’s go and meet them.”

He took her hand and pulled her after him enthusiastically. They walked up to the group who had already spotted them and waved at them. Minji saw Sehůn and Jangmi, Chanyeøl, Chën, Yixing, and three other men she had never seen before. Everybody wore either swimwear or light clothing suited to the hot weather. A small wooden cabin was behind them, its door open.

“Minji!” Jangmi yelled and embraced her friend who giggled in response. “Finally you’re here!”

“Hello Jangmi,” she smiled.

“Where did you leave Baëkhyun, though?” Yixing asked amusedly, one glance in Kāi’s smug face already telling him what he had planned. He could only roll his eyes at the shenanigans of the younger demon, knowing that he would be in deep trouble later on.

“Typical,” a dark-haired demon said, rolling his eyes annoyedly. He was accompanied by a man with dark red hair that formed two horns, his vibrant blue eyes taking Minji’s breath away. She couldn’t help but notice how attractive he was… and on top of that, just like a certain other demon, he seemed to be proud of his abs.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Suhø,” he said with a velvety voice and watched her calmly. “I’ve been waiting to get to know you.”

“I’m Minji,” she introduced herself. “I heard you chose this place. It’s very beautiful!”

He folded his arms in front of his bare chest. “I like to travel around a lot and found this spot by coincidence. I figured it would be the perfect place for a meet up with everyone.”

“Where are we, exactly?” she asked, not sure what to think of him yet. Suhø seemed to be well-mannered and much more polite than Baëkhyun, but at the same time his gaze held a foreign coldness that intimidated her. She sensed that he was powerful, his water magic only waiting to be unleashed and she made a mental note not to anger him.

“This is one of the smaller islands of the Maldives,” he answered, his smirk widening when her jaw dropped.

“O-Oh wow, I never thought I would get to see a place like that with my own eyes.”

“You’re funny, Minji,” another unfamiliar demon chimed in, having light blue hair that appeared almost white in the bright light of the sun. He radiated a pleasant coldness that was a welcome change to the unbearable heat that surrounded them.

“I’m Xiůmin, by the way. If I had known that you’re bonded to my friend, I would have come by for a visit, but the idiot never told me!” he said, a pouty expression on his face that Minji found adorable. He wasn’t as intimidating as Suhø, on the contrary. Despite his frost magic, his personality was warm and inviting.

The last demon that she hadn’t met before took this as his cue to introduce himself, telling her that his name was D.Ø. “I’m surprised that Baëkhyun would agree to a bond, but you seem nice enough,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. A gleam appeared in his eyes when he watched her, gaze coming to rest on the star on her wrist. “Where is he, by the way? Did you leave him at home?” D.Ø. laughed, not even hiding his malicious joy, and the others soon joined in.

“Well, I wanted to mess with him a little,” Kāi grinned proudly. “You know how worked up he gets when I’m stealing from him. It’s hilarious and I can’t repeat it often enough!” 

“We talked about this before, though,” Chanyeøl said, sounding more serious than the playful green-haired demon. “Hands off his girl, Kāi. I’m keeping an eye on you.”

Minji blushed, feeling many amused pairs of eyes on herself. “When will you get him here, huh?” she asked Kāi and earned herself a cocky smirk.

“Are you missing him already?” he teased. “Aww, is it lonely without your demon boyfriend?”

Her eyes widened and she blushed furiously, the pink spreading all the way to her ears. While she tried her hardest to come up with a witty reply, the whole group erupted in laughter.

“Don’t push it, Kāi. You shouldn’t make him wait,” Suhø said and threw him a harsh look that made him shut up.

“Okay, boss. No need to get angry with me,” Kāi cackled and then he was gone. Minji stared at the spot where he had been just seconds before and sighed. She finally got a break from this huge manchild…

“Took him long enough,” Chanyeøl said and Sehůn nodded in agreement.

“Don’t want to deal with pissed-off Baëkhyun for the remainder of the day. How about we go for a little swim until they are back?” Sehůn suggested. “I’m guessing they’ll be busy fighting for a while.”

“Yes, let’s go!” Jangmi added. “Come on, Minji!”

“Give me a moment,” she replied and quickly took her dress off, revealing her blue bikini underneath. Her friend pulled her along towards the water, Sehůn and Chën following after them. Minji laughed, running into the cool ocean with them. The water was refreshing, splashing in all directions as she ran. Jangmi turned to her and unexpectedly splashed a load of water at her, drenching her completely and making her shudder from the sudden cold.

“You’re getting that back!” Minji giggled, throwing water at her friend who screeched loudly.

Sehůn soon took part in their water battle and Chën didn’t need to be asked twice either. With the two demons getting competitive, the calm ocean turned into a wild maelstrom, especially when Sehůn started using his wind magic to cause some more chaos.

“Take that!” Sehůn shouted, throwing Jangmi in the water headfirst. She resurfaced and glared at him, a challenging glint in her eyes.

“You better run, Sehůn,” Chën cackled, watching him smirk amusedly.

“We’ll see about that!”

Minji and Chën watched the couple chase each other down. They had so much fun that they never noticed how much time passed in the meantime, forgetting everything around them until Jangmi and Sehůn reached a stalemate and came back to them.

“Phew, you’re insane,” Jangmi said, wringing her wet hair when she stood close to Chën and Minji.

“Nothing new,” Sehůn said cheekily.

All three of them suddenly looked at Minji, and the wide grins on their faces should have told her that something was up, but she was too distracted by the beautiful view in front of her to notice.

“Got you,” a husky voice whispered in her ear as muscular arms wrapped around her waist from behind. She froze in surprise, cheeks going red when she felt Baëkhyun’s toned chest against her back. He hugged her, pushing her close to him and her heart fluttered nervously.

“W-Where did you come from?” she stuttered.

“Kāi finally decided to get me here too. I would have joined you sooner, but I had to kick his ass first,” he said, his breath fanning over her ear. She shuddered and bit her lower lip, trying hard not to melt. Even though she didn’t see his face, she could very well picture the evil grin he wore right now since his tone was dripping with malicious joy.

Sehůn, Chën and Jangmi watched them gleefully, but soon decided to leave them alone and give them some privacy. Minji and Baëkhyun didn’t even notice them anymore.

“Why didn’t you wait for me before going in the water, hm?” he asked, and she turned around in his embrace to look at him. His blue eyes reflected the bright sunrays and shimmered beautifully, taking her breath away. A mischievous spark lit them up and his lips formed a devilish smirk. That was the only warning she got before he lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder effortlessly. She squeaked, the world turning around her. Putting her hands on his back, she squirmed around to get down, but his hold on her was secure and no matter what she did, she couldn’t make it budge.

“Let me go, demon!” she complained as he walked deeper into the water until it reached his chest, the waves lapping against his body.

“Nope,” he replied cockily. “This is your punishment.” Without warning, he threw her up in the air, and she hit the water, going under. As soon as her entire body was submerged and sunk lower, she opened her eyes and was met with a surprisingly beautiful sight. Sunrays broke through the ocean surface, looking like golden spotlights as they illuminated the blue waters. Far away from her, she spotted a swarm of exotic fishes and colorful corals covering the ground.

She stayed below the surface for as long as possible before her air ran out and she swam back to where the sea was shallow enough so her feet touched the ground. Immediately, she cupped her hands and threw a load of water at Baëkhyun whose _precious_ hair was soaked in saltwater afterwards. Wet strands stuck to his forehead and he glared at her, seeing it as a challenge.

“That was a bad idea, sugar,” he said huskily, and lunged at her. She giggled, evading him by jumping into the deeper water where she had to swim. With quick strokes, she moved away from him.

“Catch me if you can!” she shouted and swam through the waves, farther away from the beach.

“I’ll never let you win!” he yelled after her. “Give up!”

“No!” she chirped and looked back briefly to stick her tongue out at him. “Come on, you slowpoke demon!”

His eyes narrowed and he smirked, following her much faster than she had expected. She laughed elatedly, swimming as quickly as she could, her eyes set on the horizon that seemed unreachable. The sky was blue and not a cloud in sight, the view being so gorgeous that she got distracted by it. Minji had never had the opportunity to go on vacation to such a beautiful place, so this was entirely new to her. She could easily see why Suhø liked it here, especially since he was a water demon.

She was swimming fast, and the beach was pretty far away at this point. Nonetheless, Baëkhyun easily reached her, grabbing her ankle. She swallowed water when she was pulled backwards abruptly and coughed. He quickly embraced her and held them both above water while she clung to his shoulders.

“Got you again,” he drawled, raising his chin arrogantly. She sighed in defeat.

“Fine, you win,” she said, smiling at him. She hadn’t had this much fun in a while and truly enjoyed fooling around with him. Judging by his triumphant grin, it was the same for him. The bright sun made the chain on his face glint and she noted that he hardly ever took it off, not even now when he went swimming.

“Shouldn’t we go back to the others soon? I’m sure they’re waiting for us,” she said after a while, resting her head on his shoulder. Baëkhyun’s arms hugged her body tightly, so she felt both his warmth and his taut muscles on her naked skin. His shameless clinginess made her blush and caused her heart to beat faster.

“I don’t want to,” he mumbled, sounding pouty. “I’d rather stay here.”

“Please?” she whispered into his ear and felt his body stiffen a little. “Please, Baëk. I want to spend time with all of you.”

“Am I not enough?”

“Yes, you are, but…”

“But?”

She sighed and looked at him, bopping his nose with her finger. “You’re stubborn, Baëkhyun.”

“And you’re cute, sugar,” he replied, looking at her with a piercing gaze that made heat pool in her stomach. Her eyes automatically flitted down to his lips, seeing them curl into a haughty smirk. His hands moved over her back to her waist, getting a secure hold on her body before he leaned in for a kiss. Their lips connected, and a firework exploded in Minji’s stomach, happiness washing over her like a wave. She hadn’t kissed him since before their argument, and she had missed it. Drunk on her feelings of joy, she deepened the kiss, prompting him chuckle. His lips were soft, tasting of saltwater as they melded with hers. She forgot everything around them and focused entirely on him, not wanting to be with anyone else. When they separated, she took a deep breath, filling her lungs with air.

She smiled softly, eyes following the line of his silver chain that dangled over his chest. Her gaze got stuck on his milky skin, and she flushed, thinking that he was too attractive to be real. She’d never noticed until now, but he was pretty muscular…

“Like what you see?” he drawled confidently, his smug smirk telling her that he already knew the answer and only asked to fluster her.

Minji bit her lip, not meeting his gaze. “M-Maybe,” she stuttered, her eyes drawn to his toned chest where she spotted something she hadn’t seen before.

Right above his heart, he had a black tattoo of a symbol that was very familiar to her. Her lips parted in surprise and she traced it’s outline with her finger, never noticing the growing amusement in the demon’s eyes.

“I didn’t know you had this,” she said. It was the very same star she had on her wrist, just slightly bigger.

He raised his eyebrows, a cocky grin showing on his lips. “Every high-class demon has a crest somewhere on their body, it’s not exactly a secret. Shouldn’t you know this? You even used it to summon me.”

“I didn’t know. You could have told me,” she answered, raising her head to meet his gaze.

“Showing you is more fun, though,” he said with a teasing grin.

Before she could answer, they were hit by a strong wave that pushed them back in the direction of the beach. Surprised, Minji held on to Baëkhyun who suddenly looked annoyed and rolled his eyes.

“Damn Suhø, can’t give me a break,” Baëkhyun growled. “Always has to interfere.”

“Is it just me or is he a little bossy?” she asked.

“It’s not just you,” he grumbled surly, taking her hand to lead her back to the beach where his friends were impatiently waiting for them, and they all looked highly amused.

“Are you finally finished making out?” Xiůmin snickered, causing everybody to laugh except for Minji who only now realized that they must have seen the entire scene from afar. She was mortified, especially when she looked in Yixing’s face. He raised his eyebrows and smirked knowingly.

“Suhø’s fault,” Baëkhyun muttered angrily, sending the red-haired demon a death glare.

“We didn’t meet here so you could abduct this lady and keep her to yourself. When will you finally learn some manners?” Suhø retorted calmly, but a challenging glint sparked in his deep blue eyes. Minji could tell that Baëkhyun was irked by it, his explosive temper getting the best of him.

“And why should I share her with you, huh?” he hissed. “ _I’m_ bonded to her, not you!”

“Hey, don’t get pissed again,” Kāi cut in, looking very disheveled compared to earlier. Part of his swimwear was singed, and his hair was a mess.

“Yeah, let’s get along, okay?” Minji said and looked pointedly at Baëkhyun who clenched his jaw, but at least he shut up for now.

“D.Ø. and I just finished the cocktails, do you want one too?” Xiůmin asked with an endearing smile on his lips, and Minji nodded. “Do you want ice in it?” he asked and when she nodded again, he handed her a cocktail and made ice cubes appear in it. She took it and glanced at them with wide eyes, astonished by his ability.

“Wow, that’s amazing, Xiůmin!” she gushed, and his smile brightened. “What else can you do?”

“I can make it snow, cause snowstorms and so on,” he explained, shrugging as if it was no big deal.

“That is so amazing,” Minji said in awe. Jangmi giggled, joining her while taking a sip of her own cocktail.

“Are you impressed? Wait until you’ve seen Chanyeøl’s fire or Chën’s thunder! I’m always blown away by their magic, it’s so beautiful!”

“You’re flattering me,” Chanyeøl grinned, a flame appearing in his open palm. It flickered and licked at his skin without causing damage.

“Don’t set the island on fire, idiot,” Suhø grumbled, crossing his arms. Apparently, something like this had happened before, Minji suspected when she saw his blue eyes darkening significantly.

“How do you all know each other?” she asked curiously, earning grins and laughs from the demons. “Isn’t it unusual for demons to stick together like this?”

“That’s a long story,” Suhø said. The bright sunlight made his hair color appear even more vibrant than it already was. She found it ironic that a water demon had fiery red hair. “If you want to survive in hell, it doesn’t hurt to have allies who have your back. Many demons band together for this reason, but most of the time they share the same element. That’s what makes us a little special.”

“So you’re allies,” she summed up, surprised by this, but now she at least understood why they were so friendly with each other. She was also aware that demons normally didn’t care about humans, but they seemed to be okay with Jangmi and her.

“We are,” D.Ø. said. He looked serious, his dark eyes brimming with an emotion that was hard to describe. Could it be worry? “There is an important reason why we decided to meet with everyone today. It’s not just because we wanted to get to know you, Minji.”

Suhø nodded in confirmation, causing unease to rise within her. She unconsciously inched closer to Baëkhyun who glanced at her before putting his arm around her waist to pull her to his side. She heaved a sigh, enjoying the feeling of being near him.

“There was another riot in hell,” Chën explained, worriedly creasing his brow. He looked so different from his usual cheeky self now that she became even more uneasy. “The group of demons we have been after since Lůhan died has caused another bonded couple to die. Neither of us knew them, but it’s cause for alarm, especially after a demon broke into Jangmi’s and Sehůn’s home recently.”

“You need to be very careful and always be prepared,” Suhø said with a strict stare in Baëkhyun’s direction, to which he nodded.

“I’m aware,” he replied coldly.

“At the moment, no other demon seems to know about your bond which is good, but we don’t know how long it will stay that way, so don’t get careless,” D.Ø. added. “We’ve managed to capture one of them before, but we couldn’t get any useful information from him about the rioters and their plans. It makes me feel like we are walking in circles!”

“Lůhan’s death lies back twenty years and we still got nowhere,” Baëkhyun growled, and Minji felt a pang in her heart. _Guilt_. She frowned, hugging his waist in an attempt to comfort him.

“The bastard who is behind all this crap is good at hiding,” Yixing said, clicking his tongue. “I want to make him pay and get him out of the way.”

“One day, we are going to find him. He won’t have the last laugh,” Sehůn added decidedly. “I want to avenge Lůhan.”

* * *

They stayed at the beach for the remainder of the afternoon until the sun began to set and reached the horizon, drenching the sky in colorful hues. Minji had walked closer to the ocean to watch the spectacle in silence, her eyes wide and filled with wonder.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Baëkhyun said as he stood next to her, much more interested in her than in the sunset.

“Yes, I’ve had a lot of fun today. This place is paradise,” she smiled brightly, momentarily ripping her eyes away from the sky to look at him instead. Despite the fading light, his eyes were glimmering softly, filled with warmth and a mischievous spark.

“That’s good. I figured it would be a nice change from your usual life. Suhø can be a pain in the ass, but he always makes good choices, and suggesting to come here was one of them.”

“Have you known him for long?” she asked curiously, and he nodded.

“Yeah, for a few centuries, just like most of the others.”

“T-That’s a long time,” she said and gulped. It was strange to imagine that they had been alive so much longer than her yet didn’t look a day over 25. Even Xiůmin who apparently was the oldest looked so young that it could have been a joke.

“Hm, not to a demon,” he shrugged, moving closer to cup her cheek with his hand and gaining her undivided attention.

She blushed and his smirk widened, looking cocky. “I have to say that I regret not taking you for a swim earlier. You look ravishing in that bikini.”

Not having expected this, she widened her eyes. “T-Thank you.”

“I want to kiss you,” he uttered, leaning his forehead against hers. Just at this moment, the last rays of the sun vanished and they were surrounded by darkness, but not for long. Glowing orbs of light came into existence, hovering close to them. They illuminated his face, allowing her to see the silver chain stretching over his slender nose, and his plush lips that were very tempting to her.

She smiled and leaned towards him to capture them with her own, feeling his soft skin, relishing the gentle touch. Their kiss was slow and innocent, not as wild as usual when he took the lead and she enjoyed every second of it. He tasted sweet after having had one or two cocktails, but the familiar hint of cinnamon was still there, just a bit fainter than normal. She was very close to him, his bare upper body touching hers as he caressed her back, causing her to shudder at the sensation. Sighing contently, she buried her hands in his silky white hair, tugging playfully on one of his braids.

They didn’t notice the spectators that had accumulated not far from them, Jangmi already holding her smartphone in hand to take a sneaky photo she would send Minji later. Chën and Kāi were the first ones who couldn’t keep their mouths shut any longer, laughing and making cheesy comments, but the rest soon joined in.

Baëkhyun broke the kiss and rolled his eyes, growling lowly in anger. “Can you not annoy me for once?” he snapped and shot them a death glare that only served to amuse them more.

“Look how angry he is,” Chën wheezed, holding his stomach as he doubled over laughing.

“Did we ruin your fun? Awww,” Kāi snickered which prompted Chanyeøl to chuckle.

“You are unbelievable!” Minji complained, partially hidden behind Baëkhyun’s taller frame. “Stop it with the teasing already.”

“But you’re so cute!” Jangmi giggled.

“Does anyone want another drink? I just made some more,” Xiůmin called from the small cabin behind them, carrying a tray with colorful cocktails on it. Minji didn’t need to be told twice—she loved his drinks; maybe she already had too many, but one more couldn’t hurt, right?

She took a bright yellow one with ice cubes in it, a cute drinking straw and a lemon slice decorating it. Taking a sip, she found that it tasted just the way it looked; very sweet but he definitely didn’t hold back with the alcohol, adding vodka for good measure.

“Baëkhyun, this is so good, don’t you want to try another one too?” she asked, tugging at his hand.

“No, I don’t want another one. You yourself should slow down now,” he said, and observed her closely, seeing that her cheeks were flushed. “Don’t down it all in one go, idiot.”

Her slightly tipsy self didn’t exactly plan on listening to him and so she took her vodka cocktail and just poured it down her throat like it was water. He glared at her and ripped the glass from her hands, putting it on the table.

“Minji! What did I just tell you?” he grumbled. He could see the effect of the drink setting in when she began to sway just a little bit, squinting her eyes at him.

“What did you tell me? I forgot,” she giggled. “Silly me, oops.”

Jangmi kept an eye on her along with Chën and Chanyeøl who were very entertained by the scene, watching Baëkhyun’s exasperation grow the stupider she acted.

“Good luck babysitting her, man,” Chanyeøl cackled and patted his friend’s shoulder. Baëkhyun cursed under his breath and shook his hand off, hurrying after Minji who waddled towards the dark ocean.

“This is going to be fun to watch,” Chën smirked, exchanging a glance with Chanyeøl.

Minji’s fuzzy mind didn’t quite register that it was a bad idea to walk into the water in her state. Letting out a half-choked giggle, she watched as the waves reached her toes, jumping into the shallow water like she was child playing with rain puddles.

“Minji!” a familiar voice called out from behind her. “Stay with me, you idiot.”

Turning around, she was met with the reddish glowing eyes of someone she knew all too well. “Hello demon,” she giggled. He cursed, taking her hand so she wouldn’t run away again.

“Don’t do that!” he hissed.

“What?”

“Walking into the water!”

“B-But you’re doing it too!”

“I’m not drunk… and I’m a demon,” he said, not knowing a better answer. It wasn’t like she would get it anyways; in her state nothing probably made any sense…

“Me too!” she said and used her fingers to form pointy horns that she held over her head. “Look! I’m horny.”

“Now is not the time to be horny, though,” he grumbled under his breath. “You’re drunk, sugar. We should go home soon.”

“No! We’re staying,” she insisted stubbornly and pouted. He ran a hand through his messy white hair, not knowing how to deal with a drunk who acted like a whiny child.

“You don’t get to decide. _I’m_ the boss,” he replied with a hint of arrogance in his tone that she thankfully didn’t notice or else she would have thrown a tantrum.

“Mean,” she complained, suddenly leaning forward to stare at his face. Her eyes came to a stop and lightened up. “This! I want this!” she slurred, snatching his chain right off his face before he even knew what she was doing. His eyes widened in surprise, but they quickly darkened in annoyance when she ran off with his treasure.

“It’s mine now, yahaha!” she cackled. “I got iiiiiit! Baëkhyun is so stuuuupid.” While she stumbled along the shore, she fumbled with the chain, wrapping it around her wrist like a bracelet. “Whoa, it looks nice.”

As soon as she said it, a certain someone caught up to her and stopped her. He took her wrist and stole his chain back, glowering at her. “That’s mine,” he said, his patience running thin.

“B-But I found it, so it’s mine,” she sniffled. Her eyes became suspiciously glossy. He panicked, not wanting to deal with a crying woman.

“Fuck, why me?” he cursed. “Couldn’t this have happened to Sehůn instead?”

“Y-You’re so mean, B-Baëkhyuuun,” she sobbed, furiously rubbing her eyes. “I found the chain first!”

“What the fuck, how does that make any sense?” he said in exasperation. “I _wore_ it, you didn’t find it first!”

“You’re a liar,” she cried. “I want it!”

“I didn’t sign up for this,” he whispered harshly, unable to ignore her heart-wrenching sobs. Moving closer to her, he captured her attention by putting his hand on her chin, tilting it up. “Listen to me, sugar. If you stop crying, you’ll get it back. Do we have a deal?”

“Y-Yes,” she hiccupped and wiped her eyes again.

“Good. And remember, I’m only handing it over for tonight.” Before she could open her mouth to protest, he put the chain on her face like he always wore it, securing the ends behind her ears. He leaned back a bit to watch her, looking pleased. “Not bad,” he mumbled. “Are you happy now?”

She seemed satisfied, touching the metal with her fingers. Her lips parted, and she looked ridiculously proud in his eyes, but he found the sight comical and somewhat endearing, his anger disappearing.

“You’re a nice demon, Baëkie,” she slurred, her body swaying. He steadied her, holding on to her waist.

“Keep insulting me and the chain is gone.”

“Baëkhyun is nice,” she sighed as she fell forward, colliding with his chest. “I like…”

He stared at her with wide eyes. “What?” he urged her to go on.

She unexpectedly tugged hard on one of his braids. “I like your hair. I want this too,” she mumbled incoherently. “Give me this.”

He let out a breath. “That goes too far. Not my hair.”

“Baëkhyun,” she said pleadingly and pouted.

“No.”

She sniffled and he panicked once more, frantically thinking of a way to distract her before he chose to do the obvious. He held her head still and crashed their lips together, shutting her up. When she responded to the kiss, he tasted the alcohol on her tongue and made a mental note to be more observant around her once she started drinking. She really did need a babysitter for every insignificant little thing.

“You’re impossible, my sugar,” he whispered when they separated, keeping his gaze locked with hers.

A fair way off, Suhø and D.Ø. were watching them fool around, not quite as amused by the scene as the other demons. They exchanged a heavy glance, an air of sorrow surrounding them. It was a stark contrast to the cheerful atmosphere around the others.

“It seems he has finally moved on,” D.Ø. commented quietly, his eyes lingering on Baëkhyun’s and Minji’s connected hands.

“Maybe,” Suhø answered and tilted his head. “How ironic that she’s a human. What a strange coincidence, a cruel twist of fate.”

“I’ve been thinking the same.”

Suhø’s gaze moved to the dark sea, taking in the soft waves that were illuminated by the moonlight. “Perhaps it’s for the best. He’s been bitter for too long.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this chapter was WILD. :D So much fluff~ I hope it wasnt too overwhelming. Once I start writing that kind of thing I literally cant stop and then it got longer than I intended. 
> 
> I hope you guys liked this chapter! I'm sorry for updating late this time, I'm busy with my bachelor thesis right now and it's pretty stressful. >.< Hardly have time for anything but that, but I'll be done soon.
> 
> Thank you for your comments last chapter!! <3
> 
> ♡ Jessie


	22. Feelings

Minji stood in front of the worst nightmare of her entire life. Never had she been faced with such a crushing view… it was horrifying, and the longer she had to look at it, the more terrified she became. She took a deep breath, attempted to calm herself, but no matter what she did, she could not shake off the dread that overwhelmed her. She might even die within the next ten minutes if nobody saved her from her terrible fate.

“Baëkhyun!” she called desperately, and when the demon walked into the kitchen, he looked more than annoyed.

“Yes?”

“SAVE ME!”

“I won’t do the dishes for you,” he hissed. “Wash them yourself!”

“But this is a war zone! When did we use so many plates? I don’t even remember!” she whined, hating that there was a literal mountain of dirty dishes piled up on the kitchen counter. They had cooked dinner earlier, and Minji hadn’t realized what a chaos they had left behind until now—it was absolutely terrifying. Only the idea of washing all that made her want to fall over. She refused to do it on her own! This stubborn demon would help her, and if it was the last thing he ever did for her, he WOULD do it!

“I’m not your servant. If anything, it’s the other way around,” he said snobbishly and raised his chin, crossing his arms to emphasize the point that he would not lift a finger to help her.

She gawked at him even though she should have been used to these kinds of comments by now. “Excuse me? You can’t be serious! I’m letting you live here for free, the least you can do is help me out!” she nagged, putting her hands on her hips. Her eyes were steely and filled with resolve. He would not get out of this easily!

Baëkhyun snorted and rolled his eyes. “Oh please, I’m helping you enough already! I’m babysitting you 24/7, if that isn’t sufficient, then I don’t know what is,” he retorted and smirked when he saw her upset scowl.

“I don’t need a babysitter, what’s wrong with you? I’m a grown woman!”

“Yes, one that randomly falls down stairs and cuts her fingers on _paper_. Definitely warrants a babysitter,” he drawled, leaning closer to her. The teasing glint in his eyes revealed that he was having fun testing her nerves. Nothing out of the ordinary.

She huffed. “Baëkhyun! You are going to help me!”

“No.”

He laughed lowly when he saw her almost explode, face going red with anger. Particles of light formed around her body, brought to life by her annoyance, but they didn’t stay for long and faded when she got another idea. If yelling didn’t get him to help her, then she would take another approach! She knew how to deal with his stubbornness.

Minji walked closer to him and laid her hand on his cheek while her lips formed a pout. “Please, Baëkhyun?”

She glanced at him with big doe eyes, capturing his gaze with hers. He fell silent, prompting her to hide a smirk. She stood on her tiptoes, leaning her body against his and putting her hand on his chest while her other hand caressed his cheek. His eyes flitted to her mouth, and just to tease him a little more, she bit her lower lip.

Almost instantly, he locked his arms around her waist, leaning in to kiss her, but she didn’t let him go that far. Minji put her hand on his mouth and grinned at him.

“Only nice demons get kisses,” she said, seeing his eyes narrow, “And you have been naughty.” Giggling, she left his embrace and stuck her tongue out, seeing him stare at her in pure disbelief since he wasn’t used to her acting like this.

“Minji!” he growled.

“What is it, _Baëkie?”_

“Don’t call me that!”

“Help me!” she persisted.

“No!”

“Yes!” she shot back, stubbornly glaring at him. “I’m not going to kiss you anymore if you don’t help me!”

A low growl left his throat and his eyes turned ruby red, but no matter how annoyed he was, no matter how much he complained, in the end she won. Watching the high and mighty demon scrub dishes was _very_ entertaining. Minji had to hold herself back a lot to suppress the giggles—Baëkhyun was hilarious and his permanent scowl made it even funnier.

When they were done and the kitchen was clean, he looked livid, cursing under his breath.

“This is preposterous! A powerful demon like me should not do _dishes_ ,” he growled, pulling a face.

“I know that, sunshine,” she said sarcastically.

“I’m not a sunshine.”

“That’s true, I should have said _honey_ instead,” she smirked.

“No,” he snapped, his glare smoldering hot.

“Angel.”

“Shut up!” he hissed lowly.

“Cutie pie.”

“I swear, Minji, if you don’t shut up right now…”

“Sweet cheeks?”

He growled dangerously, approaching her like a predator that was about to kill his prey, but she had fun and did not even think about stopping. She had an endless amount of ideas for stupid nicknames.

“Muffin!”

He had it with her shenanigans, grabbed a wet cleaning rag and threw it right in her face.

“Ewww!” she squeaked and threw it back in the sink, glaring at him. “Hey, I was just joking!”

“This is not my idea of fun, _honey_ ,” he said, smirking evilly.

“Now you’re imitating me!”

“What are you going to do about it, cupcake?”

“Baëkhyun, be quiet!”

“No can do, princess.”

“Will you stop?” she stuttered, getting flustered.

“I’m not done taking revenge,” he smirked devilishly, pleased that he got under her skin. “ _Kitten_.”

She blushed, no longer able to look at him. “Stop!”

“You still owe me something, sugar,” he drawled and closed the distance between them, pulling her towards him so abruptly she collided with his chest. When she looked up at him in surprise, he claimed her lips with his, kissing her hungrily.

* * *

A few days later, they received a surprise visit of Suhø and Xiůmin. The demons appeared right outside Minji’s flat and when she opened the front door to let them in, Xiůmin pulled her in a hug, smiling his adorable smile while Suhø simply nodded at her and followed her to the living room. He threw Mochi a look when the cat stuck its head out the bedroom door, curiously watching the intruders.

“What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” Baëkhyun said, a tinge of sarcasm in his voice when they sat down on the sofas.

“We wanted to check if you guys are still in one piece,” Xiůmin said, getting right to the point.

“What do you mean?” Minji asked, not liking the way the air grew colder around the frost demon. His eyes darkened and he frowned.

“It’s about what we told you last time we met. It has gotten a lot worse this past week… We’ve had some trouble in hell,” Suhø explained seriously. He looked exactly like the last time she saw him, except for the fact that he was wearing a red suit that matched his hair color, leaving the front open.

“What happened?” Baëkhyun asked sharply, his voice dropping.

“We’ve found another group of demons actively seeking out bonded humans. They were aggressive and when we attacked them, they retaliated with determination. We managed to kill all of them, but I’m afraid there might be more around,” Suhø went on to explain.

“It’s important that you keep your mark and your magic hidden, Minji,” Xiůmin said worriedly. “I don’t understand why they do this; it’s not like humans are a threat to us. It must be hate that fuels their actions.”

“Thank you for warning us,” Minji replied, mirroring his serious expression.

“At this point, it would be safer for both of you if you broke the bond,” Suhø added gravely. “I assume you still haven’t found a way to do it.”

Minji realized that they had stopped searching for a way to break their bond long ago. It had been a while since Baëkhyun and her had talked about it, and somehow, she had forgotten about it altogether. Besides, she was so used to having him around her that she didn’t mind his presence any longer. What had seemed like an endless nightmare at the beginning was now a rather entertaining situation. She couldn’t imagine living on her own anymore, it would surely be lonely. How would she feel, eating dinner all by herself? Watching tv without hearing his snarky remarks every now and then? Who would be there for her if she got herself in trouble again?

She began to realize just how much she depended on him, and it scared her. Hadn’t she vowed to get rid of him as soon as possible when all of this had started? Yet here she was, not doing a thing. She knew that she would miss Baëkhyun if they broke the bond and he would leave… she knew it and it terrified her. How had she gotten so attached to a _demon_?

“You need to be more careful this time, Baëkhyun,” Suhø said seriously and sent him a heavy glance that Minji couldn’t read. There seemed to be some sort of unspoken conversation going on between them, stifling sorrow hanging in the air. Xiůmin frowned, not meeting her eyes as he stared at the ground.

“I know that. I’m the last person you need to tell,” Baëkhyun replied reluctantly with a brief look in Minji’s direction.

“Good, then I trust you to take the right decision when it’s time,” Suhø said.

“We’ve asked around, trying to find someone who knows how to break bonds, and we did get an interesting tip. Apparently, there is a blood mage living near Incheon who can do it,” Minseok said.

“Blood mages are dangerous, Xiůmin. You know this,” Baëkhyun countered, curling his hands to fists. “They could end up killing Minji in exchange for their help.”

She shuddered, not liking this at all, but judging by the determined looks on Suhø’s and Xiůmin’s faces, they wanted Baëkhyun to consider it regardless. “You should at least meet her and speak to her, maybe it will lead somewhere,” Suhø answered firmly. Baëkhyun sighed and pondered over it for another minute before he took a decision.

“Fine, but you stay home, Minji,” Baëkhyun grumbled and gazed at her with stern eyes. She didn’t mind staying here since encountering a blood mage wasn’t particularly high up on the list of things she wanted to experience in life, and she doubted that this meeting would lead anywhere. Still, there was a sense of foreboding growing within her. She was afraid that him and her would part ways soon, but she wasn’t ready to let him go.

* * *

After Baëkhyun left with his friends, Minji decided to use the quiet to practice her magic since she still hadn’t quite figured out how to control it. She recalled what Baëkhyun had told her, that she had trouble releasing it and that this seemed to be the root of the problem. It was easy for her to sense light and the magic connected to it, but making use of it was a whole other thing…

She ended up sitting on her bed, staring at her palm with furious intensity, willing the magic to come to life. Scrunching her nose, she glared and glared, but nothing happened. At one point, she became so frustrated she just wanted to give up, but she didn’t want to rely on Baëkhyun’s help all the time… there had to be a way to get it to work on her own. She gnawed on her lower lip, getting lost in thoughts.

If she remembered correctly, she had been very calm the moment it had finally worked, so she should try to concentrate. Maybe then it would work better than before.

While she was sitting on the bed, Mochi snuck into the room and jumped up to lie next to her, watching her curiously. The small demon seemed to sense what she was trying to do, tilting its head as it waited for something to happen. Minji smiled at the cute sight and relaxed her body, calming her thoughts to focus on the flow of magic within her.

She closed her eyes and stopped trying to force it, instead feeling its familiar warmth as it coursed through her body. Now that Baëkhyun wasn’t here to suppress it anymore, it felt rawer than usual, like a river that was only waiting to turn into a wild maelstrom. She carefully tapped into it and coaxed the magic to become visible, to leave its confinement within her body.

Curiously opening her eyes, she saw a glowing orb floating in front of her. It gleamed beautifully, and she found herself getting hypnotized by its otherworldly shimmer. It was warm and made her feel fuzzy inside. She smiled, touching the orb and soaking up its light. The magic was swallowed by her hand, sinking into her skin and becoming one with her. Now it was much easier for her to interact with it, and she began to understand what she needed to do to control it.

Tiny stars shot from her fingers, Mochi watching them with wide eyes. The cat soon jumped after them and attempted to catch them in its paws. Minji smiled while she observed the mischievous demon and let even more orbs appear around it that it could chase after. It jumped at a ray of light, and when it touched it, the magic got absorbed into its body, making it glow brighter. She was fascinated by this, finding the sight beautiful.

“Do you want another one to play with?” Minji grinned. Tiny spheres of light floated through the air, and the cat couldn’t get enough of hunting them down. She soon lost track of time, playing with the demon for longer than she should have, considering that she wasn’t used to the magic yet. A strange burning manifested in her fingertips, and whenever she tapped into her magic, it intensified. At first, she didn’t even notice, but when her hands got shakier and fingers began to tremble, she looked at them in shock.

“Did I… overdo it?” she uttered, eyes widening when the burning began to spread, moving up her arms, reaching her chest. She took a deep breath, and then another and another. The ache intensified further, and now she began to panic. “Damn it, stop!” she hissed, clutching her shirt right where her heart was. It was pounding harder, the strain of controlling the demonic magic too much for her. She had to turn the flow of magic off somehow, but it was like a wild river, impossible to stop. Desperation grew within her as she stared at her hands that radiated blinding white light.

Why did it always go out of control? It was supposed to be a part of her, not turning against her at the slightest bit of weakness. She gritted her teeth, trying to get herself together. The pain was overwhelming, so much that her senses began to fail her. She hardly heard Mochi’s frantic meows, didn’t feel its paws graze her thigh. There was only one thought within her mind: She had to get the pain to stop. The magic was ripping her apart—she needed to do something if she didn’t want to die.

However, her emotions were playing against her. The more nervous and scared she became, the more untamed her magic became. She was a tiny bird caught up in a hurricane. Whatever she did, it wasn’t enough to stop the raw force she was dealing with. There was one other person that could have helped her, but he wasn’t here. She had no idea where he was and when he would return, but since he knew that something was wrong, he hopefully already was on his way here.

Sitting on her knees, she hunched with pain, curling herself to a ball. Beads of sweat formed on her brow. This was draining, to a point where she almost lost consciousness. Her body was glowing brighter and brighter until she saw only white.

“This… can’t be it,” she breathed tiredly. “Come on, calm down.”

“Minji!” a voice screamed at her somewhere in the distance. It was familiar, but her hazy mind couldn’t remember where she had heard it before. The loudness of her heartbeat easily drowned the voice out, snuffing the sound.

The moment someone touched her arm, the wild flow of magic calmed and vanished like it had never even been there. It was a liberating feeling that caused the pain and the burning in her body to ease. Baëkhyun sat behind her, enveloping her waist with his arms to steady her and she let him, leaning her back against his chest. Her head rolled sideways, resting just below his collarbones. She was breathing heavily in exhaustion, the burning still prevalent in her drained body, but relief easily let her forget about the numbness of her limbs.

“Damnit, Minji! You really want to give me a heart attack, don’t you?” he hissed through his teeth. She heard him exhale sharply.

“I didn’t plan for this to happen,” she breathed, barely able to keep her eyes open.

“I told you that demon magic is dangerous! Why would you use it when I’m not around?” he scolded her, but the worry in his voice was not lost on her. “You stupid, stupid girl!” He clutched her body tightly as if he was scared she would vanish into thin air if he let go.

“I just wanted to practice. If I had known it would go out of hand so easily…” she mumbled.

“I’m never leaving you alone again!” he said without hiding his anger at her recklessness. It made her feel guilty because she was well aware of the fact that she hadn’t just endangered her own life but also his. She fell silent for a moment, wondering if he even managed to talk to the blood mage or if he had to return beforehand thanks to her stunt just now.

“Did you at least meet the mage?” she asked reluctantly and felt his embrace stiffen around her.

“Yes, and just like I suspected, she wouldn’t break the bond for free. She wanted your life as compensation and that’s not something I would agree to.”

Minji let out a breath, leaning against him. “I see.”

She was relieved, like she had just left behind a hurdle and soon came to realize why she felt this way. Breaking the bond wasn’t something she wanted. She would be devastated if it was gone because she didn’t want him to leave; she wanted him to stay with her even if it was selfish of her. He was important to her and she liked him _very_ much. The nervous beats of her heart whenever he touched her, the blush that appeared on her cheeks when they kissed… she couldn’t deny the strong effect his presence had on her.

Her feelings for him were more than an infatuation that would soon pass. _She was in love with him_.

She had been for a while, but until now she had never acknowledged it, never truly realized what this meant for her. After the disaster with Dongmin, she had vowed to be careful with giving her trust and heart to someone else. She had been scared of it even, her reluctance keeping her from entering another relationship until Baëkhyun found his way into her life and changed everything. At first, she had been devastated and cursed their bond, but over time, when she had gotten to know him better, she had learned that he wasn’t a bad person at heart. If she overlooked his rudeness and arrogance, he was surprisingly caring. Remembering what he had done for her after she had fainted and woken up in the hospital made her blush. He had gone out of his way to make sure she was fine, his unexpectedly kind actions melting her heart. Minji knew that she wouldn’t want to be with anyone but him.

Breaking the bond meant breaking her heart and she would do all it took to keep that from happening.

She wouldn’t bring this topic up with him ever again, and the selfish part of her hoped that he wouldn’t either. Turning her head slightly, she glanced up at him to find him observing her quietly. The demonic red in his eyes had vanished, leaving dazzling sky-blue.

* * *

Hearing her phone ring at 8 am in the morning was unexpected. Yixing was the only person who dared to do that, but the caller was someone else; someone Minji hadn’t been in contact with for weeks and months.

“Eunsook? Is that you?” Minji asked in surprise. She hadn’t spoken to Jisoo’s grandmother in a long time. The last time she had seen her, she had been trying to get rid of the bond, asking her for advice. She felt a little bad she had never called her since, but she assumed that Jisoo had told her some things about her and Baëkhyun to keep her in the loop.

“Yes, how are you Minji?” she asked, sounding upbeat.

“I’m okay, things have been a little chaotic lately, but it’s fine,” Minji answered, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger.

“That’s good to hear. I’m calling because I have a surprise for you, and I wanted to ask if you have time to come over for a visit,” Eunsook said. She was clearly very happy about something, sparking Minji’s curiosity. Surprises had always been a weakness of hers, so she didn’t need to think about it for long.

“A surprise? Don’t you want to tell me what it is?”

She laughed. “No, I want to show you. And bring the demon too.”

The first thing Minji did after she ended the call was talk to Baëkhyun. She needed some time to convince the stubborn demon, but ultimately she succeeded in dragging him along. About an hour after the call, they were standing in front of Eunsook’s house, ringing the doorbell.

“I could imagine a better way to spend my morning,” he grumbled ill-temperedly.

“And what would that look like? I’m guessing you would lie around on the sofa and play PS4 or something,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

“Maybe it would have involved you and me and the sofa,” he smirked, a seductive grin decorating his lips. “It’s a shame you’ll never find out since you dragged me here instead.”

She pouted and glared at him, not liking his teasing. “Baëkhyun! Why are you like this?”

“Like what?” he drawled, raising an eyebrow. “You know, I’ve never had so much trouble seducing a woman before. Usually nobody thinks twice about sleeping with me, but you’re difficult to crack, even after months. You don’t even want to shower with me!”

She blushed, her mind wandering in a direction she didn’t want it to go. “I’m not like everyone else,” she huffed, hating that he compared her to his flings.

“That’s true,” he agreed, his lips forming a devilish smirk. “I wouldn’t share you with anyone,” he whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her close to him, flustering her with his actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I'm really curious what you think about the random nicknames these two dorks gave each other. LMAO What's your favorite pet name for Baëkhyun? <3
> 
> ♡ Jessie


	23. Divine Intervention

Minji never got to answer Baëkhyun because Eunsook opened the door, interrupting their moment. The elderly woman glanced at her with a smile before her gaze moved to Baëkhyun who she scrutinized from head to toe. His enraged expression stuck out to her immediately, and she decided to be cautious around him, knowing that demons were especially unpredictable when they were irritated.

“Hello you two, please come in,” she said and stepped aside so they could pass her. Baëkhyun shot her a glare, never saying anything to the elderly witch as she showed them to the living room. “I want to introduce you to someone,” she added secretively, making Minji wonder what she was planning. She was in a good mood, so it had to be something great.

Minji was the first to walk in the living room and when her eyes met the gaze of a stranger, she stopped so abruptly that Baëkhyun nearly stumbled over her. He cursed under his breath, but she didn’t react to him, her attention captured by the man sitting on the sofa. His hair was white and messy, and his eyes were as blue as the heavens. When he got up to greet them properly, the large light brown wings sprouting from his back rustled softly. They were beautiful, a sight to behold, and Minji looked at them with wide eyes. Silky feathers glimmered golden when they caught the sunlight that fell in through the window.

“Hello,” he said in a velvety voice, and that was when her jaw dropped. She must have looked ridiculous, but that never crossed her mind because she was too busy gaping at the angel that stood in front of her.

“What is an _angel_ doing here?” Baëkhyun hissed hatefully, grabbing her wrist to pull her behind him as he glared daggers at the unwanted being in the room.

“I’m not here to cause you any harm,” the angel said and held up his hands in an attempt to calm the demon. Minji felt his magic pulse angrily and she bet that the angel felt it as well, judging by his cautious expression.

“Yeah, right, because I would rip your wings out one by one if you tried anything,” Baëkhyun snapped aggressively, shocking Minji with his behavior. She tugged lightly at the back of his shirt and frowned.

“Baëkhyun, calm down please,” she said and hugged his arm as she put a pout on her lips, knowing that this trick always worked with him. “I don’t like it when you are like this.”

He rolled his eyes at her but didn’t shake her off. “I don’t trust him! Why did the witch want us to meet an angel?”

“You are one rude boy,” Eunsook nagged as she passed them to stand next to the angel. Baëkhyun’s eyes narrowed and he already took a deep breath to give her a tongue-lashing, but the witch shut him up. “Get yourself together and don’t make this harder than it has to be! You’re not doing Minji any favors by acting like a jerk.”

A growl rumbled in his throat and his eyes colored deep red when he looked at her. Minji knew that she had to change the topic before he lost his nerves completely since that would not end well. “May I ask who you are?” she said to the white-haired angel who regarded her with an adorable smile.

“My name is Lucas. I hurt one of my wings by accident, and Eunsook helped me out and took care of the injury,” he explained. “She told me about your situation, and I thought I could offer help.”

“You… you mean the bond?” Minji asked breathlessly and subconsciously held Baëkhyun’s arm tighter. Fear settled in her stomach and she was hit by a sense of foreboding—maybe coming here had been a mistake.

“Yes,” he replied. “You might want to sit down for this.”

She froze and exchanged a glance with Baëkhyun, reading caution in his eyes and something else.

They all sat down around the coffee table, Lucas folding his wings so they didn’t take up too much space. Minji found herself glancing at them from time to time since she had never seen anything like them. The looked majestic even when he didn’t spread them.

“You’ve been trying to find a way to get rid of your bond for a long time,” Eunsook began seriously, folding her hands as she gazed at Baëkhyun and Minji. She bit her lip because she knew that this wasn’t entirely true—lately, they hadn’t bothered with it anymore. Now that the topic came up for the second time within only a few days, she felt restless and uneasy but for entirely different reasons than Eunsook thought.

“Lucas told me that angels have the power to sever bonds,” the witch said, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she smiled joyfully, though her bright expression dimmed a little when Minji didn’t react as enthusiastically as she had hoped.

“I see,” she simply said before she cast her gaze to the ground. Cold seeped into her body and her stomach churned uncomfortably. This wasn’t what she had expected from this visit. Anything but this. If only she had known what she would get herself into when Eunsook had called this morning. If only she had told Minji beforehand…

“How does it work?” Baëkhyun asked, suddenly more interested in the angel than he had been before. He kept his face guarded and didn’t give away what he thought of the matter. His voice was emotionless as well, so Minji had no way to tell what was going through his mind. This wasn’t a good sign; he was usually quite straightforward and didn’t hide his opinions, especially not from her. She swallowed, curling her shaky hands to fists.

Lucas tilted his head and grimaced. “I guess you won’t like this, but I can use divine magic to purify the mark and eradicate it from Minji’s body. Consequentially, your bond would be broken.”

Minji saw Baëkhyun stiffen slightly at the mention of divine magic and wondered if it was dangerous to demons. “Does it hurt?” she asked Lucas who was about to answer, but Baëkhyun interrupted him rudely.

“It doesn’t,” he said and sent Lucas a smoldering glare that shut him up. “What kind of compensation do you want for helping us?”

“None,” Lucas grinned adorably.

“Typical angel,” Baëkhyun said, rolling his eyes. “Great, then let’s do it right away.”

Minji’s blood turned to ice. She looked at the demon in shock and didn’t know what to say. Her tongue was tied. Was he so keen on being rid of her that he couldn’t even wait one more day? Or a week? Did it really have to be _right away_? Stabbing pain invaded her heart and made it ache. It broke in her chest, shattering to pieces. Tears formed in her eyes. Drawing in a shaky breath, she gazed at the demon and felt crushing disappointment seeing his vacant expression—all this didn’t faze him at all, but why? She didn’t understand.

His eyes were red but his face was blank, mouth set in a straight line as he waited impatiently for Lucas’ answer. He didn’t look at her at all, like she wasn’t even in the room. Minji knew that he was well aware of the emotional pain this caused her but even so, he didn’t react to it. She felt betrayed, didn’t understand why he was behaving this way now when they had been joking around with each other only fifteen minutes prior. He hadn’t acted this coldly around her in a very long time.

Lucas hesitated and regarded both Baëkhyun and Minji for a while without saying anything. His light blue eyes took in the young woman’s distraught frown and the sadness in her eyes, as well as her slumped posture. Other than the demon, she wasn’t ready for this step, so Lucas decided to reason with him.

“Are you sure that you want to do this? What happened to you was an accident, and I understand that you want to reverse it, but you should think about this carefully. Breaking a bond isn’t something to be taken lightly,” the angel said gravely. “You will always feel like something is missing for the rest of your lives.”

Heavy and tense silence fell over the room. Hearing this, Minji wanted to break it even less than before, but she was the only one who thought so.

“Doesn’t matter. I want you to do it,” Baëkhyun said decidedly.

Lucas sighed quietly, not liking the demon’s rash way of thinking and acting, especially not seeing Minji’s sad frown. When Eunsook had told him about their problem, he had assumed that both of them were unhappy with the bond, but it seemed that this wasn’t true.

“Maybe you should leave it be. Fate has interesting ways to bring people together and your story sounds too unusual for it to be a simple _coincidence_. It’s impossible for a spell to go out of control in such a way. A bond between a high-class demon and a human doesn’t just happen by _accident_. Perhaps it was your destiny to meet,” he said. The demon rolled his eyes at him, but Lucas wasn’t deterred by his attitude. “Perhaps Heaven showed mercy and granted you a second chance, Baëkhyun.”

Baëkhyun flinched. His body tensed and the reddish tint in his iris turned scarlet. “How do you…?” he started, but he never ended his sentence, letting his voice go silent. She wouldn’t have thought it possible, but she saw pain flicker through his gaze, followed by devastating guilt. He lowered his head, letting white strands of hair fall over his eyes.

“It’s an angel’s power. We are able to see a person’s greatest regret and their most painful memory. It makes it easier for us to help,” he answered calmly. “I know what happened to you and—”

“Shut up!” Baëkhyun hissed. “Shut up! How dare you bring that up now! I don’t want to be reminded of it.”

Minji stared at him in shock and disbelief. She hadn’t witnessed him act like this before. He appeared very restless, fists curling and uncurling, but what chilled her to the core was the expression on his face. It was murderous. Filled with a demonic rage she had rarely seen on him. He usually didn’t show this kind of emotion in front of her, but now he didn’t seem to care anymore.

“If you don’t want to help us, just say it,” Baëkhyun hissed. “I’ll find another angel who’s going to do it.”

“I only tried to make you see reason, I didn’t mean to anger you,” Lucas said, frowning worriedly when he noticed tears burning in Minji’s eyes. “However, before I remove your bond, I want to make clear that you _both_ have to agree to it. Otherwise I won’t do it.” He looked at Minji when he spoke, knowing that she wasn’t ready to take this step.

“Yeah, fine. We both agree,” the demon snapped impatiently, eager to get it over with.

“No, we don’t,” Minji chimed in.

_“What?”_

“I don’t want to break it.”

His eyes widened and he took her by the shoulders, staring into her eyes. “Why not? Minji! We have waited so long for this! It has to be done _now_!”

“I don’t want to,” she said, her heart clenching painfully at the thought of it.

Frustration and a sense of desperation flickered through his eyes, dyeing them dark red. His face hardened and his magic flared dangerously. “You are going to agree,” he demanded coldly. “Do you remember the deal we made? Do you remember that I saved your friends’ lives weeks ago? They would have died had I not gotten rid of the evil spirit and the demons in the mansion. You _never_ paid me back.”

Dread washed over her. She couldn’t believe that he wanted to use the old favor she owed him for something so cruel. In fact, she had forgotten about their deal because it had happened many weeks ago.

“If you don’t agree, I’ll take your friends’ lives and then we’re even.”

She flinched, hating the icy tone of his voice. He sounded cunning, sinister, just like one would imagine a demon to speak. She didn’t understand at all how he could change so much within five minutes. Hadn’t they just now joked around and had fun? And now he was blackmailing her in such a heartless way that she wanted to cry. What was he thinking? Did she mean nothing to him?

The agony in her heart grew and consumed her, making it harder to breathe. Despair rose in her mind. _He couldn’t be serious._

“Answer me!” he yelled when she failed to reply.

“Hey, don’t threaten her!” Lucas cut in.

“Stay out of this!” Baëkhyun snapped, light exploding around his clenched fists. He was livid as he stared the angel down who visibly flinched.

“Baëkhyun,” she whispered, her voice quaking. He sent her a dark look that made her uneasy. “Just tell me why. Tell me why you want to do this.”

He clicked his tongue, annoyed at her. “I’ve been waiting to get rid of it for months, you can’t expect me to change my mind now.”

“B-But…”

_“But what?”_ he hissed. “What is it?”

She almost choked, trying hard to hold in a sob. His harsh words stung. “I-I thought we… we were getting along well a-and… didn’t you say yesterday that… you wouldn’t leave me?”

“Don’t be silly. You should know how much I despise humans. Why would I want to stay with you? This has been going on for long enough—I want to go back to hell and not be chained down to a _human_ ,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “You are a burden to me; don’t you realize that?”

Her eyes widened and her tears spilled over. The agony within her heart was unbearable; he felt it, was aware of it, but didn’t flinch nor show any acknowledgement of the pain his words caused her. His gaze was ice-cold, nailing her down and petrifying her. Had she been wrong all this time in thinking that he liked her? She knew full well that she loved this man, that she would do anything for him. He on the other hand seemed to hold no such feelings for her even though he had kissed her a hundred times. How could she have been so wrong about him?

Minji knew that a weak human could never compare to a demon and being called a burden by him _hurt_. It made her hate herself. She was weighing him down, standing in the way of his happiness and even though she didn’t want to part ways with him, she didn’t want to deny him happiness either. She didn’t wish to be a burden any longer.

“F-Fine, we’re going to break the bond,” Minji whispered desperately and wiped her teary eyes with her sleeves. They were red from crying. Lucas and Eunsook watched her worriedly, both understanding that she wasn’t ready for it despite her words. They shared a glance, neither of them knowing how they could have saved the situation.

“Let’s go outside for this,” Lucas suggested reluctantly. He had made a mistake when he’d offered his help, that much was plain to see and it pained him. After meeting them and speaking to both of them, he had a strong suspicion that the creation of their bond in such an unusual way had been divine intervention. Having seen a glimpse of the demon’s past, Lucas understood why Heaven would give him a second chance even though it was rare for a demon to be granted such a thing.

He had no clue why he was hellbent on breaking the bond—it made no sense to Lucas. Something weird seemed to be going on with him, but he couldn’t tell what it was. Creatures from hell had always been peculiar to him. They were hard to understand, led by sinister emotions like hatred and rage.

Lucas, Minji and Baëkhyun walked outside in the garden behind the house, Eunsook lingering a few steps away to watch them.

They stood in the middle of the garden, the angel throwing them both a serious look. “Removing your bond will take one or two minutes. Once it has started, I can’t stop. If it’s not removed correctly, you both might die, therefore you can’t interfere. Are you really sure you want to go through with it?” Lucas asked again.

“Do it,” Baëkhyun snapped impatiently, losing his temper with the reluctance of the angel.

“Go ahead,” Minji breathed barely audibly. She couldn’t bear to look at Baëkhyun anymore, otherwise she might break out into tears once more… and she didn’t want to show weakness in front of him when he clearly had no qualms about cutting her out of his life. Her whole body was trembling when Lucas gently took her wrist in his hand, resting his fingers on top of the gleaming star on her skin. Soon, it would be gone forever. Minji gazed at it sadly, trying to commit the sight to memory. It would undoubtedly be strange to see it gone since it had accompanied her for so long that she had gotten used to its constant presence.

A pure light lit up under Lucas’ fingers, engulfing her wrist with its soft glow. She felt a slight burn on her wrist that crawled up to her chest and to her heart. The light brightened, blinding her with its intensity. Lucas’ grip got tighter when she moved away a little bit and she reminded herself that she couldn’t back out. This had to happen now.

When she heard a strangled scream next to her, she snapped her head around to see Baëkhyun hunch over with agony. He flinched away from the pure light as it burned him. It seemed to cause him great pain, but he didn’t complain and endured it without a word. Oddly, Minji didn’t feel a thing of his pain which meant that the bond was already dissolved. 

Just seconds later, Lucas was finished and the magic disappeared. He looked at her carefully, and when he saw that she was fine, he visibly relaxed. Baëkhyun let out a low curse, watching as his burned skin healed itself. Minji hadn’t known it would hurt him this badly and that he would go this far just to get rid of her sent a pang right through her heart.

“It’s done,” Lucas said calmly as Minji stared at her wrist in disbelief. There was no mark left, it was gone like it had never even been there. Her eyes burned with tears as frustration and desperation gnawed at her. _This wasn’t how it was supposed to end._

She looked at Baëkhyun, saw his slightly disheveled state. His hair was tousled and his chain askew, even his clothes were a little singed from the divine magic, but he didn’t seem fazed, simply staring at her with reddish eyes that didn’t reflect a single emotion.

She felt like someone had ripped a hole in her chest—already, she experienced what Lucas had warned them about earlier. There was a void within her, a sense of emptiness that she had never felt before. It was as if someone had torn off an arm or a leg. Something important was missing, the feeling unsettling her so much she had to keep herself together not to let anybody notice her distress. How should she live on with this terrible sensation? It was unbearable.

She was ripped from her thoughts when Baëkhyun suddenly touched her hand, placing something in it before taking a step back. Glancing down, she saw that it was the chain he usually wore on his nose and cheekbones. “Keep it. It’s yours,” he said quietly and turned to walk away. Her eyes widened, cold dread pooling in her stomach.

“Where are you going?” she asked frantically, running after him. He stopped and turned back to her, steely resolve shining in his eyes. They were colder than usual, the blue reminding her of ice.

“Where I belong,” he muttered.

She bit her lip and glanced at him, a battle raging within her. Her emotions were boiling over as she began to realize something.

“We will see each other again, right?” she asked, smiling shakily. He stared at her without saying a word, the silence weighing heavily on her. It was crushing. “Baëkhyun?” Her smile slipped. Raw desperation distorted her features when he took too long to answer such a simple question.

“Take this as a second chance at life. You will be able to have a family and grow old peacefully just like you wished,” he said emotionlessly, his expression not giving away his thoughts on the matter. “Forget about me.”

Her eyes widened in horror as he turned around again and walked further away. His demonic magic ripped a tear in space, revealing the raging flames of hell.

“Please don’t leave me! _Please!”_ she cried, but he never looked at her, ignoring her words as he stepped through the portal and disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After all the fluff in the past chapters, I have decided to finally move on with the plot and add in some angst! You probably already guessed that they wouldnt just become a couple now, right? That would have been too easy. ;D
> 
> Next chapter will introduce a new character to the story and I bet you'll like him~ <3  
> Have a nice day!! <3


	24. Engraved in her Heart

Heavy sadness clouded Minji’s mind and rendered her unable to form a single positive thought. She had needed hours to comprehend that he had left her willingly and without hesitation. If Lucas hadn’t brought her home last night, she would have probably wandered through the city forever, feeling numb to everything but her pain. She didn’t care about what would happen to her, thinking only about the demon who turned his back on her. For hours, she had laid in bed and stared at the ceiling until she eventually cried herself to sleep.

When the sun rose the next morning, soft rays of light falling through her windows, she felt more dead than alive, not seeing a point in getting up. It wasn’t like anyone was waiting for her. It wasn’t like anyone would eat breakfast with her and keep her company. Minji stared at the white ceiling above her with empty eyes, her mind vacant.

Eventually, she reached for her phone on the nightstand, unlocking it and scrolling through social media for a while before she went through the photos saved on the device. It turned out to be a bad idea and served to make her feel even worse than before. The weight on her chest nearly crushed her when her red-rimmed eyes fell on a picture that Jangmi had sent her not long ago after their day at the beach. It showed Baëkhyun kissing her, glowing orbs of light floating around them. The photo looked surreally beautiful, almost like a painting, and it showed her what she had lost, painfully shoving it right in her face. It was a punch to her gut and the tears came back instantly. A pitiful sob shook her body and the screen blurred before her eyes.

“Why did you leave me?” she cried. “Am I not enough for a d-demon?”

She used her sleeve to dry her tears, erratically rubbing her eyes until her skin was red and raw, but her tears couldn’t be stopped. They kept flowing down her cheeks like an endless river, dripping down her chin and leaving dark blotches on her shirt. “C-Come back,” she hiccupped. 

Minji stared at the delete button on the screen conflictedly, part of her wanting to get rid of the damn photo. Her thumb hovered over it, trembled, but never moved. She couldn’t do it. Deleting it was the same to her as forgetting about him, but how could she? She wasn’t ready to forget the time they shared together and everything they went through. He was engraved in her heart, had left deep marks on her that could never be erased.

Her heart clenched painfully as her eyes traced the photo, lingering on his soft features, the warmth in his eyes and the happiness her smile conveyed. She longed to see him again, to touch him, to be with him. Why had he turned his back on her? Why did he leave her without hesitation? She felt betrayed and alone, like nobody ever cared about her. Curling her body to a ball, she laid on the bed and clawed at her shirt in desperation, the pain and sorrow unbearable to her. The memories of the day they had spent on the beach were still too clear in her mind. She couldn’t take seeing the photo any longer and put her phone away.

It was like he broke up with her even though they had never been a couple in the first place, but now that she thought about it, they had acted just like boyfriend and girlfriend around each other. They had kissed often, lived in the same flat, cooked together, spent time together. She knew him better than some of her own relatives, could effortlessly list his favorite dishes and the movies he loved to watch in the evenings.

She had gotten too attached to something that was never meant to be and now that it was gone, she struggled to accept it. She caught herself staring at her wrist again and again, seeing something that wasn’t there anymore. The star-shaped crest had been burned into her mind, so it wasn’t hard for her to envision it. She had already considered taking a sharpie to draw it on her skin just to see it again, but she knew that it would not change a thing. The bond would never come back, it would never be the same. Even if she went to a tattoo artist and had the star permanently inked on her skin, it would hold no meaning. The only thing it would do was make her feel pathetic for being unable to let him go.

Minji didn’t know for how long she had been awake, laying on her bed without moving, when Mochi joined her and snuggled up to her. She was grateful that at least _this_ demon wanted to stay with her—it eased the pain in her heart a bit and made her feel a tad less lonely. She moved her fingers through Mochi’s glowing fur, hearing the cat purr happily. The warmth of its body offered comfort to Minji, and she hugged the small being close to her body. “Thank you for staying,” she whispered, the cat’s ears perking up at the sound of her voice.

Her eyes were fixed on her small friend, but she was lost in thoughts and her absentminded gaze didn’t focus on anything. She didn’t know how to deal with the pain in her heart, didn’t know how to cure the wound his departure had ripped into her being. Lucas had been right when he had told her that she would feel like something important was missing after the bond was broken. There was a void within her, making her feel as if someone had torn a chunk from her heart and thrown it far away. She had the constant urge to fill the void, to go back to him, but she couldn’t even if she wanted to. He was in a place that was unreachable for her… and he did not want her anymore. Again, her tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks like rivers. She sobbed pitifully and drowned in her own bitterness and anguish.

“I-I love you,” she sobbed, burying her face in her hands. “I love you! C-Come back.”

No matter how often she repeated it, the silence in her flat was encompassing and she never received an answer. Of course not. Who would have answered her when she was all alone?

At first, she didn’t hear Mochi’s meows, but when it touched her with its paws, she finally reacted and wiped her eyes with her sleeves, glancing at the demon. Maybe she was only imagining it, but its glowing eyes looked duller than before. She smiled sadly and petted its back. They only had each other now, but it would have to be enough.

A glance at the clock on the nightstand reminded Minji that she had an appointment later today, at three pm precisely, and since it was already one pm, she should make something to eat before it was too late. She got up from her bed with a sigh and trudged into the kitchen, Mochi trailing after her. Standing in front of the fridge, she looked around for a moment, but since she didn’t have an appetite, she really didn’t know what to cook. Biting her lip, she closed the fridge.

Her stomach churned. There was nobody who would eat lunch with her, or dinner. She was all alone and she knew she had to get used to it, but it was hard. He had always been with her, hardly ever letting her out of his sight. At first because he thought he needed to keep an eye on her for his own sake, but later, he had begun to care for her. Or at least, that was what she had thought but apparently, she had judged him wrongly. He was a demon. They were unfeeling creatures who didn’t care for fickle things such as love.

Why did she expect him to love her back? He had never, not once, stated anything of the sort. She had just assumed that he was attracted to her because of the way he acted towards her. She had thought that his actions spoke louder than words and seen them as some sort of declaration of love when it hadn’t been like that at all. All the kisses they shared must have been nothing more than a game to him.

Why expect a demon to feel anything that wasn’t hate or anger? Wasn’t she naïve?

She was. More than anyone in the world, probably. He’d wrapped her around his finger, just for fun, to have some entertainment while he was stuck with her and she had read his behavior as attraction towards her. How easy it had been for him to leave her… as soon as the bond had been destroyed, he hadn’t hesitated to go back to hell where he belonged.

Instead of eating lunch like she should have, Minji ended up moping around in the kitchen, scrolling through Instagram. Her eyes burned with tears when she made the mistake to linger on one photo for too long. It showed Jangmi and Sehůn, holding hands and smiling at the camera as they took a selfie. They had posted it yesterday… yesterday, when Minji’s world had still been in one piece.

Sighing to herself, she grabbed her purse and left her home to go and take care of today’s interview for the newspaper. She wasn’t ready to work since she had no energy and no motivation to do anything at all, but she couldn’t leave Yixing hanging. He counted on her to do the job and so she got herself together, sat in her car and drove off.

It was the first day of many that she spent without Baëkhyun and it would take her a long time to finally accept that he was gone.

* * *

In the first two weeks, the pain in her heart was overwhelming and difficult to endure. She isolated herself from everyone—Jangmi, Sehůn, Yixing, Jisoo and Chaeyoung hardly ever saw her and they ended up worrying so much that they appeared at her doorstep one after another, demanding to know what was wrong. They were shocked when they learned what had happened, and although Chaeyoung didn’t know about the supernatural world, even she could tell that something was very wrong.

Sehůn and Yixing had been furious at Baëkhyun, the latter going so far as to enter hell to look for him. He was disappointed, and he wanted to hear from the demon why he would leave her without prior warning. Minji wasn’t surprised when he couldn’t find him, not even when asking his other friends. They didn’t know where he went either, but some of them came by to visit her and she found that surprisingly kind of them, considering they were demons.

Chanyeøl, Kāi and Chën checked in on her first. They visited late in the evening, when she had been busy staring gloomily at the tv without really seeing the movie she had been watching. The demons had distracted her and taken her thoughts away from her sadness. For a while, she didn’t feel as lonely anymore; finally there was life in her flat, and finally she had someone to talk to. Eventually, the conversation had drifted to Baëkhyun, but they hadn’t been able to tell her anything about his whereabouts.

Only a day later, Xiůmin, D.Ø. and Suhø had come by, though sadly they couldn’t tell her anything either. They made an effort to distract her, using their elemental magic to cause a little chaos.

The three demons reminded her that she shouldn’t neglect her own magic, and now that she was alone and had nobody to depend on if it went out of control again, it was more important than ever that she learned how to use it. Not knowing who she should ask for help, she ultimately decided to call Jangmi, and the young witch told her that she would gladly help her out. They decided to meet in a secluded part of the forest where nobody would see them.

Sehůn had accompanied her, looking worried and angry at the same time. Minji assumed that this was Baëkhyun’s fault even though he never stated anything of the sort. His piercing eyes surveyed their surroundings and his wind magic flared dangerously whenever a weaker demon dared to get close to them.

They stopped on a clearing in the middle of the forest where they wouldn’t be bothered by anyone. Sehůn sat down on a rock nearby and watched the two women with mild curiosity in his eyes. Jangmi put her violet hair up in a bun and got right down to business. Her eyes were sorrowful and serious when she studied Minji, noting how changed she looked. It was plain to see that she was a different person now—being stabbed in the back by the one she had trusted most had left its marks on her. She had gotten thinner and the shade of her skin appeared unhealthy, reminding Jangmi of grey. No longer did she smile or make funny remarks, no longer did her eyes light up when they met. If Jangmi ever got her hands on Baëkhyun, she would kick his selfish ass.

“Judging by what you told me, you have trouble controlling the flow of magic,” the young witch said, furrowing her brow.

“Yes, that’s the problem. It goes out of control every time I try using it,” she answered hollowly. “Usually, he would help me, but…”

Tense silence fell over the clearing, bringing an extremely uncomfortable awkwardness. Jangmi cringed, attempting to steer the conversation in another direction. “I’ve brought something for you that will help you with that,” she explained and pulled something from her purse. “It’s an accessory infused with magic. It will help dim your magic and consequently, it will be easier to control.”

She put a bracelet with colorful beads in Minji’s hand, expecting her to put it on.

“Thank you,” Minji mumbled and turned it in her fingers for a moment before she slipped it over her wrist.

“Try using your magic now,” Jangmi said, but she received a doubtful glance from Minji who wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. She didn’t want to accidentally hurt her friend, knowing how bad this could turn out if she wasn’t careful.

“Come on, do it! You won’t hurt me,” Jangmi added optimistically. “Besides, I have my own magic to protect me. Trust me on this, the bracelet works well!”

“If you say so,” Minji whispered, triggering the flow of magic that was asleep within her. She coaxed it to come out, expecting it to shoot off in all directions, but she was surprised when that didn’t happen. Her hands were enveloped by warm light, glowing softly. She found it much easier to control it all of a sudden, the magic feeling like a calm lake instead of a flowing river. It wasn’t as strong as before, did not possess the same raw power, but to Minji this was more than enough.

“This is… different,” she breathed and glanced at her hands in wonder, forgetting about her anguish for a moment. The otherworldly sight in front of her captured all her attention.

“See? I told you it would work,” Jangmi smiled. “Now you just need some practice and it should be fine. As long as you wear the bracelet, your magical power is reduced, so it can’t get out of control that easily anymore.”

“Thank you, Jangmi. This is a big help,” Minji said and let the light vanish.

“It’s the least I can do for my friend. I want you to be able to protect yourself,” she replied seriously. “We both know how unpredictable supernatural creatures can be and I don’t want to take any chances here. Your safety is important.”

Minji teared up hearing her kind words. The sadness she had kept bottled up overflowed and came spilling out all at once, overwhelming her. A sob tore from her throat and shook her body. At least she wasn’t alone. At least she could still count on Jangmi. The witch frowned in sadness and embraced her friend, holding her close to her body. Her hand drew calming circles on her back as she murmured soft words into her ear, trying to comfort Minji.

“It’s alright, just let it out,” she whispered. “Let it out and move on.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“You have to,” Jangmi said decidedly. “You deserve better than a selfish demon… there are so many other men in this world, one day you are going to find the right one. For now, just concentrate on yourself.”

* * *

Three weeks after Minji had last seen him, she was overtaken by anger. Her fury controlled her—she needed to sate her thirst for revenge. No longer did she mope around at home. She wanted to let her frustration out, and what better way to do that than seek out low-class demons? They usually attacked her as soon as they sensed her magic flare and she took it as invitation to fight them. It served as training and helped her get a better feeling for her magic. Additionally, she would keep other humans safe by getting rid of the invisible dangers lurking around them. She killed two birds with one stone.

However, she was careful to keep this new hobby of hers a secret since she doubted that Yixing and Jangmi or Sehůn would have wanted her to get herself in danger. Minji had reached a point where she didn’t care anymore about what happened to her as long as she could let her unending anger and frustration out.

Today had been an uneventful day at work and that was why she had decided to go for a walk through the woods afterwards, intending to get her jumbled thoughts in order. In the past few days, she had felt particularly angry, and that anger wanted to be let out.

“Fuck you, Baëkhyun! Fuck you and your dumb selfishness!” she screamed into the sea of trees, her loud voice echoing around her. A few frightened birds flew away, taking to the skies. “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! Why did you leave me? Come back!”

“Damn, this Baëkhyun must be a real jerk,” a voice said behind her, and she flinched, whirling around. She took a step back when she saw a stranger standing between the trees, watching her with raised eyebrows. He was taller than Baëkhyun and had dark red hair that framed his gleaming almond-shaped eyes. She took in the black leather jacket he wore paired with ripped jeans, sensing that this stranger was capable of using demon magic. Cautiously, she watched him, trying to find out whether he was a threat or not.

“Who are you?” she hissed, prepared to defend herself. Without the useful warnings of the mark, she had trouble deciding if danger was near and it made her feel vulnerable.

The stranger held up his hands in a gesture that was supposed to calm her, but it only riled her up more. “Calm down, please. I won’t hurt you.”

“Are you a demon?”

He tilted his head, his lips twitching amusedly like he had anticipated the question. “Yes and no. I’m half demon, half human. My mother was a demon and my father a human,” he explained, seeing her eyes widen. She had never heard of half-demons before, didn’t even know it was possible for them to exist, but the living proof stood in front of her. Her cautiousness faded when her curiosity grew and she walked closer to him.

“That’s interesting,” she said before she remembered that she should probably introduce herself. “My name is Minji, by the way.”

He grinned cheekily, amused by her sudden interest. “I’m Tao.”

“Nice to meet you,” she replied. “What kind of magic are you able to use?”

He smirked, and his hand lit up, flames licking over his skin. “Fire,” he said. “And you? I’m sensing demon magic from you even though you are human.”

She decided to copy him just for fun, and made her hand gleam with white light, seeing his eyes widen with interest. “Wow. How are you able to do this?” he asked, and she grimaced instantly, but saw no harm in telling him. He seemed to be nice enough, and up to now he hadn’t done anything even remotely threatening. Besides, letting off some steam sounded like a good idea.

“I was bonded to a light demon before and gained this ability through the bond.”

“Is that light demon called Baëkhyun, by any chance?”

“Yes,” she sighed. “That obvious, huh?”

“Well, it doesn’t happen every day I hear women scream profanities through the woods,” he said amusedly. “Not that hard to guess that he did something wrong. May I ask what happened?”

Minji looked at him for a moment before she decided to tell him. If anyone would understand her dilemma, it was probably a half-demon, a person that was familiar with both demons and humans. They began to walk through the woods together, and Minji opened up to him about what had happened to her, starting with the summoning and the failed spell. Tao listened attentively, sometimes interrupting her to ask a question, and when she ended her story, his gaze had darkened considerably. He huffed, putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

“Damn, what an asshole,” he grumbled. “How can he just leave like that? I understand that your bond was an accident, but judging by what you just told me, you got along very well. So why would he want to leave?”

“I don’t know either. He called me a burden, so I’m assuming that he probably didn’t want to die because of my weakness,” she mumbled and kicked a lose pebble, sending it flying into the grass. The forest was quiet and serene, a stark contrast to her chaotic thoughts and jumbled emotions. She was torn between anguish and anger, sometimes even longing.

“Possibly,” Tao said, mulling over it. “Demons are selfish, it’s in their nature to think of themselves first, but they get protective once they’re bonded. I don’t really understand why he left you, taking that into account.”

She sighed, not wanting to speak about it anymore. Her mood was bad enough already, she didn’t need it to get even worse! “What were you doing in the woods, Tao?” she asked in an attempt to change the topic.

“Oh, I was looking for a low-class demon that recently killed someone,” he said nonchalantly. She widened her eyes, realizing that this demon was possibly close by and she hadn’t even known. “I’m working as a demon hunter and I usually go after demons that terrorize humans, for whatever reason that might be. A witch paid me to get rid of this one and that’s exactly what I’m going to do now.”

“Then that means… there’s a mad demon on the lose?” she asked.

“Yup,” he smirked, too excited in her opinion. “Want to join the hunt? Would love to see your magic in action.”

“Uhm… isn’t that dangerous, though?”

“Nah. If we work as a team, it’ll be fine!”

Knowing that this would be the perfect distraction and a chance to let her anger out, she decided to accompany him. “Okay, then let’s do it.”

* * *

In the following weeks, meeting up with Tao and accompanying him on his hunts became a habit to her. She got along with him even though he could be painfully honest about some things, his mouth not having a filter. His sarcastic remarks reminded her of someone, and in a really weird way, they helped pretending that things were completely normal.

Minji had fun helping Tao out and learned a lot about magic and self-defense in the process. They were a good team, working together and trusting each other. Admittedly, in the beginning, he had to help her out a lot when she got in trouble, but now she was able to hold her own against the demons and creatures they fought. Only last week, they had received a new call for help by a superstitious woman living at the edge of the woods who had been convinced she had seen a ghoul in the area. Minji soon learned that ghouls were absolutely disgusting monsters that consume human flesh. Their bodies were rotten and surrounded by a terrible stench. Her eyes had watered while she had fought it with Tao and she had been extremely relieved when it had finally perished, not standing a chance against the combined force of their light and fire magic.

The woman had thanked them for their help and ended up giving them a large tip on top of their payment which they split evenly among each other.

“You’re getting better at this, Min,” he said as they walked back to his car. “Maybe we should move on to more dangerous jobs soon. The poltergeist last week didn’t stand a chance either despite the illusions it used.”

She smiled proudly, a skip in her steps as she walked. “Thank you! It’s rare to get a compliment from you,” she grinned cheekily, referring to his endless nagging whenever she made a mistake. It could get annoying from time to time, but she knew that deep down he was only worried about her, hiding his concern behind his complaints. “What do you suggest we do?”

He sent her a cautious look, carefully gauging her reaction to his next words. “A witch I’m friends with told me something interesting. There’s a high-class demon lingering close to Seoul; one that appears to go after humans just for the heck of it. He has killed a few unsuspecting people before and the police are unable to find him for obvious reasons, so she asked if I was willing to help.”

Her eyes hardened and became steely with resolve. High-class demons were arrogant bastards—most of them, anyways. This one couldn’t get away with murdering innocent people just for fun, she would do all it took to stop him. Not all humans could defend themselves with magic… It was incredibly rare and therefore it was even more important that she stepped in to help.

“I’m accompanying you,” Minji said determinedly.

Tao nodded, a small smile playing with his lips. “That’s what I wanted to hear. You should be confident in your abilities! However, don’t forget that your body is still human and very fragile compared to those of demons. When we go after him, you need to be more careful than ever!”

She decided to take it with humor and laughed, nudging his side. “I may not be able to lift a car like certain other people here, but I do know how to kick a demon’s ass,” she said, prompting him to chuckle.

“Sure you do, Min.”

They reached his car and he unlocked it, sitting on the driver side and closing the door. Minji on the other hand lingered next to the vehicle for a moment, turning back to the dark woods looming behind her. Her eyes narrowed and darted over the shadows in between the trees in suspicion. She felt watched, like an invisible pair of eyes kept track of her every move and it had her feel uneasy. When she didn’t spot anyone though, she sat in the car as well, never voicing her concerns in front of Tao.

* * *

Juggling her newly acquired job with Tao and her work as a journalist became harder and harder as time went by. It was exhausting to be busy with interviews and reports all day only to go home to spend half the night hunting supernatural creatures, but she had chosen this for herself and didn’t plan on backing out now that things were getting interesting.

However, the bags under her eyes and the bruises that sometimes appeared on her skin couldn’t be hidden from Yixing’s sharp gaze. When she entered his office the next morning to hand in a written article, he asked her to sit down before she could leave again. Reluctantly, she took a seat on the chair in front of his desk, crossing her legs. A particularly angry burn marked her left arm since she had fought a fire demon, and unfortunately her sleeve had slipped up far enough for Yixing to see. His eyebrows rose and his mouth twitched in disapproval and worry.

“Minji, may I ask what you have been doing these past two weeks?” His stern green eyes were piercing as they regarded her and she couldn’t look away.

“Nothing noteworthy,” she replied.

“I’ve known you for many years and I can tell that you’ve been abnormally tired at work. Something is up and I want you to tell me,” he said seriously, his normally calm voice taking on a hard edge.

“You really needn’t worry about me, Yixing. Everything is fine.”

“Is it because of Baëkhyun?” he asked bluntly and her smile slipped. She faltered, fingers digging into her thighs as she stared at the ground. She hadn’t heard anyone speak his name in a while. Her friends had gotten used to avoiding that topic in front of her, taking her feelings into consideration. Just hearing his name had the void in her heart throb painfully and the longing to see him came back.

“N-No… it’s not because of… him,” she whispered, her voice failing her. Tears gathered in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

“Minji,” he began carefully. “You can talk to me about anything that is bothering you. I’m here to help and to support you. I just want you to be safe.”

When he was met with stubborn silence, he sighed. “I’m going to be honest with you since you obviously won’t admit to it… I know that you’ve been out hunting, you can’t fool a century-old demon,” he finally said and saw her body stiffen.

“I’m not doing it alone and I’m also being careful.”

“Baëkhyun wouldn’t have condoned this,” Yixing uttered and shook his head, eyes staring into space with a bitter tinge in their depths.

“What Baëkhyun does and wants doesn’t matter anymore! It’s obvious he doesn’t care about me at all,” she snapped angrily. “Don’t bring him up again, Yixing.”

“Acting as if he was never here won’t help.”

“Are you taking his side now?!” she hissed in frustration, ready to get up and leave.

“No,” he said, making a calming gesture with his hands. “I’m on your side. If I ever see this damn bastard, I’m going to kick his ass so hard he wishes he’d stayed in hell.” A sinister scowl distorted his soft features, causing him to look every bit like the demon he was. Anger was blazing in his eyes. “I’m not blind, Minji. I’ve seen how much his departure has affected you. He has to be completely nuts!”

She fidgeted with her hands, glancing down at her intertwined fingers nervously, fearing to voice the words she had been thinking about for a long, long time. It took a lot of courage to verbalize them. “The answer is easy. I don’t mean anything to him. That’s why it was so easy to cut me from his life,” she whispered sorrowfully. It felt like the sadness was choking her, a lump forming in her throat. “I mean, why would a demon like a human? H-He told me so many times that he finds us weak and he’s not wrong about that. We might be the weakest compared to all supernatural beings that exist. He must have been sick of being around me all the time.”

She didn’t see Yixing’s grimace, the pitying frown that followed. He reached over the desk and covered her restless hands with his, prompting her to raise her head. She looked crestfallen. He hated seeing his friend like this, it was so unlike her to be depressed and downhearted all the time. Her smile was something he hadn’t seen in forever and he couldn’t curse Baëkhyun often enough for being the cause of all this. Yixing had supported them in any way he could and also helped them get over their disagreement after Dongmin’s death, but now they were back to square one.

The warmth of his hands was a comfort to her, as was the kindness in his eyes.

“You need to know one thing, Minji,” he said seriously and met her gaze. “You are not weak and you continue to prove it. Although I don’t like you hunting supernatural creatures, the fact you’ve decided to do it shows that you aren’t a coward but someone who faces their fears and overcomes them. I still remember how scared you were when you first learned of their existence, but I no longer see that same fear in your eyes. You’ve grown in the past weeks and I want you to realize it. Have confidence and don’t let yourself be pulled down only because one demon decided to be a stupid prick.”

“T-Thank you,” she managed to sputter.

Yixing smiled. “You’re very welcome, Minji.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> I posted earlier this time because last chapter's cliffhanger was pretty mean tbh. >.<  
> Tao has made an appearance and I hope I managed to surprise some readers with that? :D It's fun to write about him~ Also, arent Yixing's pep talks the best? >////<


	25. Bad Dream Kill

Despite all of Yixing’s warnings and tries to reason with her, Minji didn’t change her habit of going on hunts with Tao. The free time she had this Saturday would be used to check out a popular hiking area where some humans had previously vanished under weird circumstances. In Tao’s opinion, it had to have a supernatural reason. Perhaps the high-class demon they were after was responsible for it, and even if that wasn’t the case, Minji and Tao still wanted to make sure that nobody else would be hurt.

They met up at the edge of the woods on a parking lot where the hiking trail began, leading up the mountain. It was a rainy day and the sky was clouded, a fresh breeze playing with Minji’s ponytail. She had gotten used to wearing her hair like this to prevent it from getting in the way.

“Are you ready to leave?” she said as she walked up to Tao and he nodded, grinning cheekily.

“I’m always ready!”

She snorted amusedly and shot him a look. “Last time, you overslept and I had to call a thousand times to wake your lazy ass! Seriously, I have never heard of such a lazy demon hunter,” she teased.

“Hey, I’m very successful at my job, being a half-demon has many perks,” he replied, not mad at her for pointing out the obvious. “Besides, sleeping a lot is very healthy.”

“Exactly what a lazy bum would say,” she said, smiling brightly. “Did you pay a visit to your friend yesterday, by the way?”

“Yeah, we set up his new computer and ended up eating a ton of candy.”

“Sounds like you were rewarded generously,” she giggled while they followed the trail into the forest, passing the treeline. It got a little darker in this area and out of habit, she conjured a ball of light to illuminate the rocky path in front of them.

“What about you?” he asked.

“Oh, I didn’t do anything, honestly. Just stayed home and that’s it,” she said.

“You were moping around again,” he summed up and hit the nail on the head, seeing through her palliating words. “You should have called me! My friend and I wouldn’t have minded your company.”

“I don’t want to be a burden, Tao, but thanks for the offer.”

“You’re not a burden!” he grumbled and crossed his arms, his almond-shaped eyes narrowing in exasperation. “You’re a great partner, don’t sell yourself short,” he added in a softer tone.

“Thanks, I guess,” she mumbled sheepishly, keeping her eyes on the trail. The woods were quiet and barely a sound was heard other than the occasional pitter-patter of the rain. It unsettled her and felt unnatural since she was used to hearing the happy chirping of birds in the treetops and the laughter of other hikers who passed by.

The area appeared to be deserted, but she was convinced that they would find who or what they were looking for if they went deeper into the woods. That was their only option anyway since she doubted their target would show itself without a good reason.

“How long do you think this will take?” she asked, holding in a yawn. Work had been tiring lately which resulted in her feeling drained constantly. If she was honest with herself, she should have asked Tao to postpone this undertaking to another day. However, she had decided to get it over with before even more people vanished. She had chugged an energy drink earlier and hoped its effect would last for a while.

“Probably all day,” he answered and sighed. “I would prefer lying in bed right now, but this monster has to be stopped.”

“Agreed,” she said, letting her gaze move over bushes and trees that they passed. The cold and the rain made this undertaking much more uncomfortable than it had to be, but it couldn’t be helped.

They walked on for another fifteen minutes without spotting anything out of the ordinary, their only company the faint rain that fell on their heads and shoulders. They both wore raincoats that protected them, nonetheless, they would have preferred better weather for this.

“I’m hungry,” Tao groaned suddenly, pulling a face.

“You’re such a baby,” Minji retorted teasingly. “I think I have chocolate bars left in my car.”

“Great; cause your car is like a forty-minute walk away from us,” he grumbled.

“Didn’t you eat breakfast?”

“Nah, I wanted to sleep in. No time for that.”

“You are unbelievable,” she commented, having a hard time hiding her amusement at his grumpy expression. “Do you even need food? You’re a half-demon.”

He raised an eyebrow. “So? I love eating and sweets are the best thing ever. Why would I _not_ eat them?”

“Dieting must be hard for you.”

“Oh, you have no idea! It’s impossible to take a pass on candy, but luckily my work is keeping me fit.”

“I can imagine,” she said.

They walked on until they reached a fork, the trail splitting up in two different directions—East and West.

“This is annoying,” he sighed and rolled his eyes.

“We could split up,” she suggested and earned a death glare.

“Suuure, like those stupid people in horror movies? The ones who die first? Don’t be ridiculous, Minji. We’re staying together. It’s safer.”

“Why are you comparing this to a horror movie? We’re able to use _magic_ , that’s an advantage that idiots in horror movies don’t have. Your analogy is ridiculous if you ask me.”

“You’re too reckless.”

He was right, she was. Ever since the mark had vanished and its protective magic didn’t warn her of impending danger any longer, she had become careless and often acted imprudently. She had always relied on those warning, so much that she felt strange without them. It gave her the illusion that she was never in danger and she constantly needed to remind herself that this wasn’t true.

“I know, I know,” she huffed and put her hands on her hips, stubbornly glaring at him. “View it this way: If we walk together, it will take us forever to cover ground, but if we split up, we’re saving half of the time! That’s a huge advantage. And in case something happens, we still have our phones to call each other and our magic to defend ourselves.”

“Cell phone reception isn’t the best in this area, though,” he grumbled, not liking her idea. “And you’re human, Minji… Humans die so easily.”

“Not like you’re a full demon either,” she retorted sassily, prompting him to roll his eyes.

“You’re missing my point! What I’m trying to say is that I would feel better if we continued to work as a team.”

“How about a compromise? Each of us walks like fifteen minutes in a different direction and if we don’t find our target, we’ll head back and meet up right here, okay? If I’m not here in fifteen minutes, which isn’t going to happen because I’m punctual, then you can go after me,” she explained with a grin.

He groaned and grumbled something under his breath, but in the end, he cracked and complied. “Okay, fine. You’re too damn stubborn,” he said, running his hand through his dark red hair.

“Then it’s a promise! See you later Tao, and don’t fall asleep somewhere!”

“Ugh, shut up!”

He took the western trail while she took the eastern one and soon lost sight of him as she disappeared between the trees.

Unbeknownst to her, she would come to regret her decision very soon. The demon prowling the woods had set his sights on her already, watching her from the shadows as she moved on unsuspectingly. She couldn’t see him; he didn’t allow it. Darkness was his element and hiding in the shadows came as easy to him as breathing.

He watched her amusedly while he thought about how he would kill her. It appeared like she was able to use magic; demon magic at that, and that could only mean one thing. She must have been bonded to a demon before. His lips curled into a snarl as his eyes colored red. Humans like her had to be eradicated—there was no way he would let her live. She was a disgrace to high-class demons like him and her whole existence irked him.

The question was _how_ should he kill her? There were so many options to murder a human that it was very hard to choose. He clicked his tongue annoyedly and watched as she made her way through the dark, rainy forest. She was still oblivious to his presence, her cluelessness amusing him to no end. Chuckling lowly, he followed her like a shadow, the darkness hiding his body.

Maybe he should get it over with soon before it got boring. It was more fun if he played with his victims for a bit before killing them. Deciding to show himself, the shadows around him dispersed and he stepped on the path winding through the trees. His shoes made a noise as he walked and the human woman stiffened hearing it. She turned around and stared at him with wide eyes, instantly summoning her magic to protect herself. _Ridiculous_.

Minji nearly had a heart attack when she heard a sound behind her, finding herself standing in front of the high-class demon that Tao and she had been looking for. She sensed immensely strong magic radiating off his body and she knew instantly that she was in over her head. Against this demon, she probably wouldn’t stand a chance.

His ruby eyes were glaring at her, filled with hatred and disgust. He curled his lips into a sneer, not hiding his disdain at all. Wearing a black jacket and equally black jeans, he easily melded with the darkness between the trees, so she wasn’t surprised that she hadn’t noticed him earlier. He appeared young, but she knew that looks were deceiving when it came to the true age of a demon.

“Hello human,” he smirked. His strange grey hair stuck out to her, but her gaze was soon drawn by his entrancing yet sinister eyes that glared at her. “Were you looking for me?”

She gritted her teeth, already hating his arrogance and the haughty tone of his voice. It made her skin crawl. “Maybe,” she replied. “Who are you?”

He tilted his head and stayed quiet, observing her like he was contemplating whether it was even worth the trouble to tell her. Letting out a low chuckle, he smirked. “My name is Chängho,” he drawled confidently. “You’re ridiculously stupid, human. What were you thinking, looking for me on your own? Your carelessness is going to be your end.”

As soon as he had spoken, darkness manifested around her body, closing in on her from all sides. It radiated a cold and disturbing aura and made her want to turn and run, but she couldn’t, was trapped. By instinct, she willed her magic into existence, letting it swirl around her body. It glimmered, its golden light dispersing the darkness surrounding her. She shone brightly like a beacon in the dark, the blinding light irking Chängho who glared daggers at her.

“A little bit of light magic won’t save you, human,” he growled, using his magic to shoot a wave of shadows at her that she blocked with a swipe of her arm, making a shield appear in front of her. Stopping his overwhelmingly strong magic cost her more effort than she had expected. Doubts formed in her mind, making her wonder if she could even hold him off until Tao arrived. It couldn’t be long until he would notice something was wrong… she prayed that he would find her soon.

Chängho was fast and attacked her relentlessly, sending shadows her way that she could barely hold off. When he suddenly approached her, hitting her shield with his bare fists, she lost her focus and her magic briefly vanished. That was all it took for him to reach her.

He was ruthless when he hit her. A punch to her stomach, another one to her side had her stumble back. Her human body could not take it, too fragile to withstand his attacks, and her vision disappeared for seconds as pain took over and stole her senses. She screamed, her knees giving out. Falling to the ground, she clutched her stomach with tears burning in her eyes. Looking up at Chängho, seeing his conceited smirk, reminded her of something she had vowed to forget.

The helplessness she experienced and her inability to defend herself made her self-hate return. _It was the same as back then._ It was the same as all the times she had endured the fits of her ex Dongmin. The memories of the past paralyzed her as an old fear consumed her; her mind going blank. She still wasn’t over it.

In fact, it had only gotten worse after Baëkhyun had left her. She’d started to see herself as a burden and the hopelessness in her heart made her want to give up. Glancing at Chängho, she contemplated if she should stop fighting and let it happen. What was the point of trying when she was meant to fail in the end? She was only prolonging her pain.

Nonetheless, the stubborn part of herself refused to die, and that stubborn part was what forced her to act now. “Tao!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. _“T-Tao!”_

She got hit by another strong wave of darkness and skidded over the ground, her arms burning when dirt got into her bleeding injuries. Coughing, she attempted to push herself up, but she couldn’t. Her arms were trembling weakly, her body surrendering.

In a last effort to defend herself, she used her light to form a shield in front of her. If only she hadn’t left Tao, maybe they would have been able to defeat this madman, but alone she stood no chance. Frustration made her eyes burn with tears. She always lost. She was always the weaker one. She had lost against Dongmin, she had lost Baëkhyun and now she was losing her life.

Her shield was shattered soon after, the light particles swallowed by shadows.

“Insolent human, did you really think you could use demon magic?” Chängho taunted, coming closer. His form blurred before her eyes. She cursed, the pain becoming overwhelming.

Despair and fear made her heart sink. She knew that she was all alone, there was nobody who would help her. Eyes falling closed, she was swallowed by cold darkness.

* * *

Feeling a hand touch her shoulder, she stirred and blinked, opening her eyes to glance at blurry treetops over her. The sky became darker gradually.

“Finally you’re awake! I was fucking worried about you!” she heard a familiar voice say. Tilting her head, she spotted Tao kneeling next to her. His red hair stood out to her, and his dark eyes were burning with concern. “Why would you fight him on your own, idiot?” he hissed, his angry words contrasting his actions when he gently brushed a few strands of black hair behind her ear.

“I’m sorry, Tao…” she mumbled, pushing herself up so she was sitting next to him. Her whole body ached, but she was still in one piece which surprised her. When she had lost consciousness, she had been convinced that this was it. She had faced a much too powerful demon on her own. Why would he just let her go?

There was only one plausible explanation in her mind. Her eyes took in the scene of destruction in the forest around her, seeing uprooted and burned trees, craters in the ground.

“You defeated him,” she whispered and looked at Tao with wide eyes. He scrunched his nose, watching her like she lost her marbles.

“What are you talking about? I didn’t fight anyone,” he retorted. “Did you hit your head too hard?”

“B-But… there was a very strong high-class demon, right here! He wanted to kill me, and I’m damn sure he wouldn’t just change his mind and walk away, especially not after I went unconscious,” she said exasperatedly, nervously playing with a strand of her hair as she thought about it. His eyes had been filled with stifling hatred for her, there was no way he would show mercy. Demons did not know mercy.

“Minji, calm down. I’ll tell you everything I know, okay? When I found you around ten minutes ago, you were laying here on the ground. Nobody was anywhere in the vicinity, but I sensed faint traces of strong magic, and the destruction of this place speaks for itself… a terrible fight must have taken happened here. I didn’t know you were so strong, this is something else,” Tao said, looking astonished.

“I did fight the demon, but he overpowered me eventually,” Minji said, her eyes roaming over the damage surrounding her. She was nervous, fearing that something horrible might have happened while she had been unconscious. “I’m not responsible for this chaos here. Someone else must have fought him.” She found the whole situation creepy and shuddered.

“I guess so,” he mumbled, narrowing his eyes before a smirk curled his lips. “Maybe your guardian angel was working overtime?”

She snorted, nudging him playfully. “Sinners don’t have guardian angels, silly.”

“Hey, I was just trying to make light of the situation!”

“How did you find me?” she then asked, curiously gazing at him.

Now he looked confused and stared at her like she had grown a second head. “What do you mean? What’s wrong with you today?”

“Huh?”

“You sent a beam of light towards the sky so I could find you easier. Did you forget, idiot?” he scolded, shaking his head at her. “That was the only way I could have reached you so quickly!”

“I… I did no such thing,” she breathed. “I was unconscious the entire time.” Her body froze and her eyes widened.

“If it wasn’t you, who else could it have been?” Tao muttered annoyedly. “Do you think a light demon randomly came here to destroy the forest? You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

Minji had a suspicion in her mind; the warm feeling of hope rising within her heart. Eyes clouding with tears, she sniffled and glanced down at the silver chain wrapped around her wrist. She touched it with her fingers, feeling the chain links of the cold metal.

“Do you think it might have been _him_?” she asked breathlessly, the intensity of her gleaming brown eyes catching the half-demon off guard. He immediately knew who she meant.

“It’s possible…” he said, putting a hand to his chin as he pondered over it, “But how would he have found you here? Why would he help you? Didn’t you say he wanted to sever all connections between you?”

“Yes, that’s true,” she said bitterly. “Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part.”

“No, I’m sure what you said is plausible. Let’s be realistic about it: any other demon would have ripped you to shreds, not helped you.”

“You’re so nonchalant about it,” Minji complained sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

“Assuming it was him, he would have needed to keep an eye on you to know you’re in trouble. Sounds to me like he still cares about you,” Tao said and smiled.

Minji didn’t know what to think anymore. She was confused, didn’t understand Baëkhyun. If he really had helped her just now, what could have been his motive? He had been clear about his wish to leave her, and it had taken her a long time to get over the pain it had caused her, although the emptiness in her heart could not be filled, no matter what she did.

“This is… I don’t understand, Tao,” she sighed. “Why doesn’t he show himself? I wish I could see him again.”

“You’re in love with him.”

“I am,” she replied quietly, gnawing on her trembling lower lip as tears pricked at her eyes.

* * *

The wounds she had sustained during the encounter with Chängho couldn’t be hidden, and so it was only a matter of time until Yixing noticed them. He was angry and worried at the same time, demanding for her to tell him what had happened, but she was reluctant to do so since the memories of that day haunted her.

The feeling of hope that had risen within her afterward had caused a mix of joy and pain. On one hand, she was happy that Baëkhyun seemed to be checking in on her. On the other hand, she did not understand why he didn’t show himself to her and she was reluctant to let this feeling of hope grow because she feared being disappointed once more.

Sitting in Yixing’s office and being confronted with the scrutiny of his green eyes, Minji knew that she didn’t have much of a choice. She couldn’t keep what had happened from him since he would bug her until she cracked, so she might as well get it over with.

He ended up being more shocked than angry at Baëkhyun’s strange behavior, a bitter smile spreading over his lips. “I think I get what he is trying to do,” he uttered, knitting his brow in thought. Minji still didn’t understand anything and stared at him expectantly, waiting for his explanation.

“Want to elaborate?” she asked when he tested her patience by keeping quiet.

Yixing hesitated and the heavy sadness in his eyes scared her. “It’s not my place you tell you, Minji,” he answered. “Baëkhyun’s past is complicated. A lot has happened and he’s become… rather stubborn in some aspects of life.”

“Please, can’t you tell me more?” she pleaded.

“As I said, it’s not my place to tell you,” Yixing said, shaking his head, “But I’m sure that he has a good reason for leaving you. Don’t be mad at him. I know it’s a lot to ask for after he left you so abruptly and without explanation, but the stubborn idiot has a really messed up way to deal with problems. It’s usually through rash actions instead of calm thinking.”

She knew that much already. His past was a mystery she would love to unravel, but as long as nobody wanted to reveal anything to her, her hands were tied.

* * *

After she was done with work, Minji headed home quickly because she was planning on meeting Chaeyoung and Jisoo later. She hadn’t seen them in a while, feeling guilty about this, but she had been too busy going on hunts with Tao.

Minji walked into her bathroom to get ready for the meet up with her friends. She stared into the mirror, carefully applying make-up and brushing her long black hair until it was shiny. Since she hadn’t met Chaeyoung and Jisoo in a while, she wanted to make sure that they didn’t notice what she had been up to in the meantime. Jisoo in particular would get suspicious if she saw the dark marks on her skin, the scratches, and scrapes from the fights against demons. Therefore, Minji picked a long-sleeved top and hid the violet mark on the side of her jaw with an extra amount of make-up. She wanted to avoid drawing Jisoo’s attention to it. When she was satisfied with her work, she stared at herself in the mirror, taking note of how much she had changed during the past month.

She had lost weight and her cheekbones were more prominent as well as her jawline. Over time, she had gotten used to skipping meals since she often wasn’t hungry even though she should have eaten something. The paleness of her face was easily concealed with her make-up and it was the same for the shadows under her eyes. Nobody would notice. She could keep pretending things were fine in front of everyone, even herself.

She sighed and grabbed her jacket so she could finally leave her flat. If she lost any more time, she would be late…

* * *

When she arrived at the café where she wanted to meet her friends, they were already waiting for her, sitting at a table close to the window. Chaeyoung waved enthusiastically, not having seen her in at least a month. Understandably, she couldn’t wait to finally talk to her friend.

Minji approached them with a smile on her lips, the scene making her feel nostalgic since they often used to meet like this before this supernatural crap had turned Minji’s life on its head. It was nice to have a small bit of normalcy now and then.

“Hi, it’s been a while,” she said as she sat down at their table.

“It has! We’ve missed you, Minji!” Chaeyoung said and other than Jisoo, she didn’t hide her annoyance. “You’ve been so busy lately, never making time for us.”

“I’m sorry, Chae. Life has been stressful,” she answered, her smile becoming somewhat strained. Jisoo sent her a knowing look since she was aware of what had been going on, but she didn’t want to pressure her friend by asking tons of questions.

They ordered coffee for themselves, picking cupcakes to eat since the café offered really cute ones with pink icing on top. Minji noted that they tasted as sweet as they looked, but even though she liked them, she couldn’t bring herself to eat more than a few bites.

“What have you been doing these past weeks?” she asked her friends.

Jisoo snorted, rolling her eyes. “Chae has been busy every weekend, filming random stuff for her new YouTube channel. She’s dragging me into it too.”

“Oh come on, we’ve had fun!” Chaeyoung pouted. “Besides, it’s just a hobby, nothing more.”

Minji grinned seeing her friends bickering. “What are you filming?”

“All kinds of stuff. I’ve started with a make-up tutorial and I might do some other things too!” Chaeyoung said excitedly. “It’s hard to gain subscribers, but I have a few people who support me already. Most of them are from university and the rest is pretty much random, I guess. If you want, you could participate in one of my videos too! Jisoo and I had a lot of fun doing each other’s make-up last time.”

“Maybe,” Minji replied hesitantly. “If I can make time.”

Chaeyoung’s face fell, knowing full well that this was Minji’s way of saying no. She shared a worried glance with Jisoo who had been keeping an eye on her this entire time, noticing something she didn’t like.

“Are you eating properly? You’ve lost weight,” Jisoo said.

Minji tensed but kept a smile on her lips. “I’ve just been trying a new diet. Looks like it’s working,” she replied and shrugged, not appearing very convincing to Chaeyoung and Jisoo.

“At least finish your cupcake,” Chaeyoung added.

“I’m not hungry right now,” Minji said evasively, shifting restlessly in her chair. She had a sudden urge to get up and run from the café, but she couldn’t do that to her friends. It would have been incredibly rude after she had already avoided them for the better part of a month.

“If something is bothering you, you can always talk to us. I hope you know that,” Jisoo said, gauging her reaction carefully. The slight tremble of Minji’s lower lip drew her attention, making her frown. “We’re here for you. I know it has been tough for you since he left, but if you keep shutting everybody out, you won’t feel any better. In order to move on, you need to let go of him and focus on other things. Maybe going out more often and meeting new people would help.”

Something in Minji shattered. The telltale burning in her eyes was there again, her throat tightening. “I don’t want to move on,” she muttered. “ _I can’t_. You wouldn’t understand.”

Her hand moved to her heart, clutching the white fabric of her blouse. He had clipped her wings when he had broken the bond. He had ripped the happiness right out of her chest and it still hurt. No matter how much time passed, the wound didn’t heal and the hole within her heart didn’t disappear. It would stay until she died, and a part of herself hated him for burdening her with this curse. However, the bigger part of her longed to see him again, and knowing that he was out there somewhere, probably not even far away, made it all the harder to endure.

If only she knew why he did this to her. If at least Yixing had given her some answers…

* * *

After the meet up with her friends, Minji ended up walking through the empty streets of an abandoned company site. She regularly came here to practice her magic since she could be sure that nobody would see her. The site was quite large, surrounded by a fence with many holes in it, so it wasn’t hard to get in. She walked over the gravel on the ground and entered a dilapidated building that had once housed the offices of the company. It had three stories that were connected by old and dusty stairs. All the windows were broken and the paint was peeling off the walls in many places. Some rooms smelled moldy and Minji tended to avoid those.

She crossed an empty hallway and moved up the stairs to the next story where she ended up in a large room with a high ceiling. Since the sun was slowly sinking, it was rather dark in here, but that didn’t bother her.

Letting her magic flow freely, it became visible in the form of golden threads winding around her hands. Their soft light illuminated her form, bathing her in an ethereal glow. She had learned a lot about her magic in the past month and it wasn’t hard to control it anymore. On the contrary, it had become second nature. She no longer needed to think about what she wanted the magic to do; it worked intuitively like moving an arm or a leg.

Since she was human, she had to be careful not to use demon magic for too long, but she was fine when she practiced for only a short while. As she let golden spheres appear around her, she suddenly became aware of something unsettling. Faint traces of powerful demon magic were sprinkled throughout the room. She sensed them everywhere in the area, and she was pretty sure that it was the very same kind of magic that Chängho had used, belonging to the element darkness.

Growing uneasy, she stopped the flow of her magic immediately and hid it, making it disappear.

“I should leave,” she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. Her encounter with the creepy demon was still fresh in her mind and she didn’t want a repeat of what had happened last time, so she quickly headed towards the doorway, intending to run back to the ground floor.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Someone had noticed her magic even before she had hidden it. She sensed a powerful presence near her, the strong magic making her body tremble in fear. It had to be a high-class demon… and whoever they were, they were in the building already. Other than her, the demon did not hide their magic at all, letting it flood the building.

It was wild and furious, radiating off them in waves which made it easy for her to sense where they were. Their arrogance was infuriating, but it also told her that she shouldn’t mess with this being since they seemed to be out for blood. After nearly losing her life to Chängho the other day, she knew that she couldn’t fight a high-class demon on her own. It would be suicide.

She needed to be careful now and get away from this place without alerting them to her hiding spot. Crouching low next to the door, she sensed that the demon was walking through a hallway below her. _Directly_ below her. She tensed up and hesitated, eyes darting to the end of the hallway where she saw a stairway leading down. Of course, she needed to get down, but she wasn’t stupid. It appeared like the being was waiting for her to panic and run right into a trap. She could not take that stairway, had to find another one, so she turned and walked in the opposite direction. Her sneakers barely made a sound on the concrete ground. The thundering of her heart in her chest was all she heard as she made her way to the other side of the building where another stairway was located. She passed countless open rooms, all of them empty. The entire building was vacant, safe for her and the dangerous demon one floor below.

Minji cursed her bad luck. She tiptoed to the stairs and peered down. There was darkness below, sparse sunlight falling through the windows. She concentrated on the other being but found that she couldn’t sense them anymore. They appeared to be gone.

A bitter smile formed on her lips. Of course they weren’t. The demon most likely had decided on another approach, waiting for her to be lulled into a false sense of security. They were probably waiting for the right moment to strike, like a snake sitting in front of a mouse.

“Shit, if only I hadn’t come here,” she cursed silently. “Or at least asked Tao to accompany me.”

Should she descend the stairs and risk it? Should she take the other stairway? Or wait here? Waiting wasn’t an option, and she knew it. If she waited, she would lose her mind in fear, and the being would probably take it as a cue to come up here and kill her faster.

Minji decided to use her magic to shroud herself in darkness, bending the light so it never reached her form. Like this, she could not be seen, and perhaps it would be enough to fool the demon. Luckily, this kind of magic wasn’t draining, so she would be able to keep it up for at least fifteen minutes.

Sneaking to the stairs, she descended them quickly and dove behind the next corner, hiding and hesitating. Again, she tried to locate the other presence within the building, but the being hid somewhere just like her. Nervous beads of sweat formed on her brow. Her pulse spiked. She peered around the corner and saw a dim hallway that led straight to the exit. The doors were wide open, beckoning her to come closer.

She clenched her jaw and decided to risk it, running around the corner and towards the door, using the cover of darkness to her advantage. _It was a mistake._ She had done exactly what the demon had waited for, and she was nearly thrown to the ground when overwhelmingly strong magic flared directly behind her. She was petrified and turned to glance in the darkness. A glowing pair of red eyes glared in her direction, but since she suppressed all the light around her, they didn’t see her. Still, the demon knew she was here.

Her breath hitched, and then she was faced with an explosion of magical power, a blinding whiteness that shot towards her. She didn’t even have time to scream, shielding her face with her arm as she willed her magic to form a shield consisting of pulsing light. It was hardly enough to stop the attack, and she felt part of her sleeve be burned by the heat and devastating strength behind it.

As soon as it stopped, she turned around to run, not wanting to stay here a second longer. Desperately, she shot beams of light at the demon, hoping to slow them down, but the magic didn’t faze them at all; they seemed to absorb it, rendering it useless. Her eyes widened as the red eyes got closer, the demon keeping themselves hidden in darkness.

She was forced to go on the defensive again when another powerful beam of magic was sent her way. This time, she screamed, barely able to hold it off. Her knees were shaking, nearly giving in, and she lost control of her magic. It vanished. Instantly, she became visible as the light reached her form and revealed her location. To her surprise, the demon stopped their attack, the flow of their magic calming around her.

She let out a breath and straightened up, ready to face whoever it was, but she was met with an unexpected sight.

“Minji?” she heard his silky voice say, the sound sending shivers down her back. He looked exactly like she remembered him, not a single thing had changed. Her heart began to hurt, aching and stinging. His eyes faded from red to blue as he came closer, soft light flooding the hallway.

“What are _you_ doing here?” he asked, standing only a few steps away from her. It was too close. She wasn’t ready for this yet. Was he not fazed at all? Did it not bother him to see her after so long?

“I could ask you the same,” she replied bitterly. “Why did you attack me?”

He was silent and watched her, his eyes taking in her disheveled appearance and the tired paleness of her face, as well as the singed clothes. Something in his expression changed, but she couldn’t tell what it was. “I didn’t know it was you.”

“Yeah, right,” she spat, stinging pain invading her heart.

“It’s true. You were hiding, how should I have known?”

“Why are you here?” she asked.

He didn’t answer, staring past her towards the exit. The silence between them grew heavier, to a point where it was stifling and uncomfortable. She didn’t know how to act around him, was torn between hating him for leaving her and being happy for seeing him again. There was a spark in her heart that just waited to be ignited, but she fought against it, scared to be hurt again. Undoubtedly, he would leave in a few moments and stay gone. She clenched her hands into fists.

“I was hunting down a demon and followed him here,” Baëkhyun eventually said. He seemed angry for some reason, though he kept his rage hidden behind a mask of indifference. Only the red hue in his eyes gave it away. “I’ve been after him for a while, and when I sensed demon magic in here, I was sure I caught up to him, but then it turned out to be you. He must be long gone by now… I lost him.” He sighed frustratedly.

“What did that demon do for you to hunt him down, huh? Must have pissed you off,” she said sarcastically and crossed her arms, concealing the curiosity within her well. She yearned to find out what he had been doing in the past month and how he was, but at the same time, she had too much pride to ask.

“You are familiar with him,” he growled, and for a second, she felt his wild magic surge before he reined it in. “He attacked you in the woods not long ago. I intercepted him, but he got away.”

Her eyes widened and she looked at him, astonishment written over her face. “S-So you really were there,” she stuttered. “Why didn’t you show yourself? Why just disappear?”

“I told you I wanted to cut all ties, to allow you a normal life,” he said, voice sharpening until it sounded like a snarl. “But you still can’t stay away! Why the fuck are you hunting demons now?!”

“Maybe I don’t want a normal life. Maybe normal is dull.”

“Normal is _safe_. Get that into your dumb head!” he spat bitterly.

“I see you are still good at insulting me,” she hissed. “Do you really think I could just ignore the supernatural world, knowing it exists? It has become part of my life and I can’t just pretend it doesn’t exist. I see demons, ghosts, and other creatures every day. When I’m grocery shopping, on the way to work, when I’m taking a walk, meeting my friends. I’m too far in to back out.”

“I gave you a second chance, and you throw it away just like that,” he growled. “Unbelievable.”

“I didn’t need a second chance! Everything was fine as it was. I was _happy_ ,” she said, and her voice cracked. Hot tears burned in her eyes and her entire body tensed. “Why did you leave me?”

He left her waiting for an answer she desperately needed.

“Do you feel it too?” she whispered almost inaudibly. Her lower lip was trembling and she hugged herself in an attempt to keep from falling apart.

“What?”

“The void.”

He stared past her without making eye contact. “You’re imagining things,” he uttered lowly.

“Am I really?” she asked persistently, her hand resting over her heart. “It hurts a lot and I’m sure you feel it too. Don’t deny it, please.”

“Minji, stop clinging to the past and forget about me. Our bond should never have existed in the first place. It was an accident and none of us wanted it.”

She blinked, fighting the tears that threatened to spill. “What now? Will you leave again?” she breathed. “I… I don’t want to be a burden to you, but… but I miss you and… it would be so much easier to endure this pain if you at least showed yourself sometimes. You are important to me, Baëkhyun.”

Speaking took a lot of effort since she had to hold back her sobs, but she needed him to hear this because she hoped it would sway him. She refused to believe that everything between them had been a lie. It just wasn’t possible. They had gotten along so well before, it had to have been real!

He stared at her for a while without moving or reacting, taking in the tears shimmering in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Minji, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. We shouldn’t be seen together,” he muttered eventually and lowered his head, casting his gaze to the ground. “It’s too risky. I don’t want you to end up dead because of me.”

Even though he had denied her wish, she was somewhat relieved to hear that he cared about her, that he did not just stay away without a good reason. Filled with newfound determination, she decided that she wouldn’t give up just like that.

“It _hurts_ to live with this damn broken bond,” she said and looked at him with pleading eyes. “Please come back to me… at least consider it!”

He exhaled. “Fine, I’ll consider it, but I need time to think.”

She took a deep breath, eyes moving to the chain she’d kept wrapped around her wrist. It had been her present to him and she wanted him to have it back, just in case they’d never see each other again. At least he’d have a memento of her, assuming he wouldn’t throw it away. She took it off, grabbed his hand, and put it inside, closing his fingers around it.

He glanced up at her, his eyes locking with hers. That was all it took for her to nearly burst into tears. She was hit by intense sadness mixed with longing and had to force herself to let go of his hand. Her fingers trembled.

“Take it,” she said quietly, “And keep it. I gifted it to you and so it’s yours.”

She moved back one step, distancing herself from him. Then she finally found the strength and the courage to turn around and leave.

Baëkhyun didn’t stop her and she didn’t expect him to, but his eyes followed her every move until she vanished from sight. He was torn between running after her and doing what was best for her wellbeing; staying away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers~!
> 
> I posted an extra long chapter this time because I know that you've been waiting to see Baëkhyun (it took forever to edit >.<)! Some of your questions regarding his behavior towards Minji should have been answered now. :3
> 
> Have a nice day! ❤  
> Jessie


	26. Psycho

So much had happened in the short span of just a few days that Minji struggled to keep up with everything, often having headaches from the stress put on her. She was always cautious when she left the house as she feared running into Chängho again. According to Baëkhyun, he still lingered in the area and she didn’t want to take chances.

Her encounter with Baëkhyun had left her distraught and confused. She didn’t know what to think anymore and her heart hurt more than ever since he had disappeared. What he had said made her question many things—most of all, his thoughts and actions. He kept his distance and at the same time he didn’t. He said he wanted to leave her and yet he followed her. Did he even know what _he_ wanted? He kept pushing and pulling, not making clear what his aim was.

She shook her head in exasperation and sat down at her kitchen table, a steaming cup of coffee in front of her. It was Saturday morning and she had no idea what she wanted to do today, so she ended up moping around, staring at social media feeds on her phone. Her cute cat Mochi had joined her a while ago and now got comfortable on her lap. The warmth the small demon radiated was comforting and helped to calm her down. She finally stopped thinking about Baëkhyun and instead petted the furball that started to purr happily.

Minji sighed quietly. “I would love to get some fresh air, but I don’t know if I should even leave the house,” she mumbled. “Sitting around isn’t an option, though… If I stay here any longer, I’ll go crazy.”

She lifted Mochi from her lap to the floor, ignoring the demon’s noises of complaint. It looked a little pissed now, and the sight made her snort in amusement.

“We can cuddle more later,” she said apologetically before she vanished into her bedroom to get ready.

* * *

Minji took her car and drove to a popular hiking area that wasn’t too far away from where she lived. After she had parked the car in a parking lot next to some other vehicles, she put on her jacket, took her backpack, and followed the trail into the forest.

Since it was fall, the air had gone colder and it rained more often than before, but she wouldn’t let that deter her from getting some fresh air. Already, she felt herself relaxing, the quiet around her soothing her troubled mind. She took a deep breath, focusing only on herself and shutting all other thoughts out. Right now, she just wanted to be left alone.

The hiking trail led up a slope, winding through the trees like a snake. She passed some people along the way who were returning to their cars. Since this was a popular area, she wasn’t surprised to meet others and it didn’t bother her either.

Letting her gaze roam around, she spotted wildflowers blooming next to the trail, withstanding the cooler temperatures of fall. Some of them were withering already while others somehow endured the cold weather. Gnarled tree roots protruded from the ground, half-hidden by bushes and plants. Many orange and yellow leaves littered the ground, their vibrant colors beautiful to look at.

The sight reminded her that it would be Halloween soon and she wondered if her friends had already made plans for this year. They visited a Halloween party together each year and it had become a tradition for them to make the costumes themselves. Sometimes they ended up looking silly, and sometimes Minji actually liked them. Last year, for example, they had all dressed up as witches, wearing pointy hats and dramatic makeup. When she thought about that now, she found it ridiculous that Jisoo had dressed up as a witch when her grandmother really was a witch. It must have been a stupid joke to her that nobody else had noticed.

Minji frowned, thinking that she had been so naïve last year, firmly believing that all the crap about ghosts and demons wasn’t real. She knew better now, and she also would never touch an Ouija board again—that had gotten her into a lot of trouble in the end.

She kicked a pebble laying on the trail and sighed quietly, reminding herself that she wasn’t here to be in a gloomy mood, so she pushed those thoughts away. A few raindrops fell on her head and made her look up at the grey sky. It wasn’t the best day to go for a hike, but she didn’t care. A little bit of water wouldn’t kill her.

Even though she tried hard not to think of him, her thoughts kept gravitating to Baëkhyun. She wondered where he was right now and what he could be doing, if he still was after Chängho or not. Was he thinking of her just like she was thinking of him? Her heart ached, the corners of her lips turning down.

“Stop thinking about him already,” she scolded herself. He would either come back or he wouldn’t, but she couldn’t force him to do anything. She could only wait and hope for the best.

“Hello, human… what a surprise to see you,” a familiar voice suddenly said, catching her off guard. Minji’s head snapped around abruptly, her heart nearly jumping out of her chest. She stared into the darkness and saw the outline of a person in its midst, hiding within the blackness. Gritting her teeth, she moved back and willed her magic into existence, light radiating from her hand. She sent a beam into the darkness, dispersing it for long enough to see the demon that had almost killed her a few days ago.

He looked the same as last time, his hair was still dark grey, eyes still bloodred. It was Chängho, just like she had feared. _This was bad._

She knew she had to run since fighting him wasn’t an option. It would end in her death. Her eyes moved around frantically, looking for a way out, an opportunity to escape.

“Did you miss me, human?” he drawled as he stepped out of the darkness, the shadows retreating into his body. It was a bizarre sight that made her skin crawl and she recalled the disgusting cold feeling that came with being touched by his magic. It was revolting.

“Can’t you answer me?” he added after a while, his patience running thin fast. His magic flared and darkness shot in her direction, razor-sharp like knives. Widening her eyes, she crouched and formed a shield made of light that kept the attack from hitting her. Nonetheless, she sensed its power and was forced to move back a bit.

She needed to get away from him now—risking a fight would be suicidal. With this in mind, she conjured an extremely bright light in the middle of the clearing, blinding Chängho with its intensity. He cursed, and she didn’t wait any longer, turning on her heel and running off.

She didn’t stay on the trail where she was easily visible, but swerved right into the woods, jumping over a bush and dodging a large rock as she fled. Thorns got stuck in her clothes, ripping at them when she sprinted, but she ignored them and never stopped, not even for a second. Trees rushed by and she lost orientation quickly, not knowing which direction she was running in. North? East? Could have been west or south, she had no idea anymore. How should she reach her car like this? How should she find help? Her breaths became uneven in panic, legs hurting from all the running.

Behind her, she heard the rustling of grass and leaves, the telltale sounds of someone following her. It was Chängho, and he was damn fast, his demonic strength being superior to hers. He didn’t have any trouble at all to catch up with her. To defend herself, she created another shield behind her as she moved on, but he snuffed the light out with a wave of shadows, the coldness making her shiver. When she looked over her shoulder at him, she almost stumbled over a rock, catching herself at the last moment.

“Give up, human! You’re only prolonging your suffering!” Chängho roared. Raw fear ate at her heart, coldness creeping into her limbs. What did he want with her? Did he target her just because she could use demon magic? She couldn’t understand why he would go out of his way to hunt her down. Minji regretted coming here alone—why the fuck hadn’t she asked Yixing or Tao to accompany her? Why did she always have to do things by herself? She had grown reluctant to trust demons, but that shouldn’t extend to her closest friends… then again, Baëkhyun had been close to her too and he had still left her.

“Leave me alone!” she screamed in a high-pitched tone, voice quaking in horror when she saw darkness shooting towards her. She dove behind a tree while simultaneously using her magic to repel it, but it wasn’t enough to stop it completely. It cut into the delicate skin of her shoulders and neck, leaving bleeding slashes that burned like fire. Minji cursed and faltered. Crushing desperation spread through her and let her hesitate for a tad too long as she lay on the ground.

Why was she even fighting him in the first place? He was right, she was only prolonging the pain. Maybe she should give up. Tears pricked at her eyes and she clenched her hands into fists, glaring at the forest ground beneath her. It would be easier to stop running. She wasn’t stupid enough to believe that a fragile human could win against a high-class demon who was centuries old and possessed insanely strong magic; the kind that was opposite to hers at that. This was bound to fail and the harder she struggled, the longer she’d be in pain.

Her fingers dug into the dirt, body shaking in fear. She didn’t want to die. It was inevitable but she didn’t want to. Her entire body went rigid when she heard Chängho’s steps getting closer and closer. He wasn’t in a hurry, and his arrogance irked her. Struggling to get up, she held on to a tree for support, the burning of her wounds, and the sticky sensation of the blood making her feel nauseous. The iron smell of blood never failed to bring back old memories, never failed to make her remember terrible things that had occurred years ago.

Her vision blurred as tears threatened to spill over. She knew that she wasn’t the same person as back then. She now had the power to defend herself, to fight back. It was bitter irony that it wouldn’t be enough against her opponent.

Chängho came to stand a few meters before her, his red eyes roaming over her figure, falling on her face. He read fear in her gaze, but also defiance and stubbornness. His lips formed a smirk. “Are you pretending to be brave, human?” he chuckled. “Almost a shame I have to kill you.”

She inhaled, exhaled, but it felt like she was suffocating, her fright cutting off her air supply like a noose. “Why do you have to? What did I ever do to you?” she hissed. Her left hand covered a particularly deep cut on her shoulder that was oozing blood continuously. It stung.

“You got too close to us demons,” he explained and rolled his eyes as if she was an idiot for even asking something so obvious. His condescending attitude enraged her, and her hands began to glow.

Chängho eyed her golden magic with disdain, his lips curling in distaste. “The only way a human can use demon magic is through a bond, and that proves that you once shared a bond with a demon. A lowly creature like you should never be able to use our superior magic—you need to die. Humans can’t mingle with demons.”

“Your hate is blinding you,” she spat.

“I’m a demon, what did you expect? Tolerance? Don’t be ridiculous,” he laughed, the sound making her shiver in fright.

She would have loved to shut this bastard up, but it wasn’t like she could. The last time they had fought had ended very badly, and this time wouldn’t be any different. If Baëkhyun hadn’t interfered…

A thought struck her, hope growing in her heart. Hadn’t Baëkhyun mentioned that he had been hunting down Chängho? What if he was somewhere in the area? Chances were slim, but they were there. She needed to make more time, distract Chängho somehow…

“How did you find me?” she asked, hoping she could keep him talking for another moment. In the meantime, she focused her magic and tried to find out if any light demons were nearby. Far away, she sensed traces of magic, but she couldn’t tell who it belonged to. Maybe it was Baëkhyun, or maybe someone else entirely.

“It was a coincidence, really,” Chängho answered and shrugged. “I’ve kept my eyes open for you since our last encounter, but I didn’t expect to meet you here of all places. In the middle of a random forest.”

She cursed her bad luck. If she had stayed home like she should have, then she would have been safe. Her own recklessness got her into this predicament. Maybe she would pay for it with her life, or maybe there was still something she could do…

When she abruptly rose her arm towards the sky, a bright beam of light shot up and exploded over the forest like a firework. If Baëkhyun was somewhere in the vicinity, he had to have seen it. She only needed to hope it was enough to lure him here. And if he wasn’t here at all, well… then she was as good as dead.

“What do you think you’re doing, human?” Chängho asked annoyedly. “Playing around with your magic won’t help you. Besides, I think we’ve talked enough. Time to get on with it.” His lips curved up, a sinister smirk appearing on his face. His red eyes gleamed when he ran at her, shadows reaching out to grab her. She evaded him and tried to keep distance between them. Sending a wave of magic towards him slowed him down a bit, an annoyed growl tearing from his throat.

“Ridiculous,” he said. “You won’t stand a chance.”

She was caught off guard when her own shadow suddenly rose from the ground, tendrils of darkness wrapping around her body to crush it. Letting out a strangled scream, she wanted to move away, but she couldn’t. His magic had latched on to her and held her tightly, leaving red marks on her skin. Desperately, she used her magic and let it pour from her body to chase the shadows away, but they easily snuffed the soft glow out.

“D-Damn it,” she hissed, her struggle amusing Chängho who grinned.

“See, I told you.”

“Shut up!” she spat. “I can’t let you win.”

As if to prove her wrong, his magic flared and erupted like a volcano, sprouting in all directions. The shadows let her go, but the relief didn’t last long. He used them to hit her, and her body was thrown to the ground. Minji was overwhelmed by pain, yet she barely paid it any mind since the crushing feeling of failure was so much stronger. She bit her lip hard, tasting blood.

Her eyes came to rest on the bracelet Jangmi had gifted her. If she took it off, her magic would be stronger, reaching its full potential, but did she want to risk it? She would have a hard time controlling it and in the end, it could kill her if she was unlucky. However, one look at Chängho’s arrogant sneer made her decision a lot easier. Even if it _killed_ her in the end, she wanted to kick this bastard’s ass. Someone had to prove to him that humans were not weak.

Her stubbornness became her new resolve. She took the bracelet off and put it in her pocket. The change was instantaneous and her magic exploded in white light, flooding the clearing, ripping at the trees and bushes nearby. Chängho had to shield his face with his arm, his magic temporarily retreating.

A storm tore through her body, its destructive strength nearly pushing her back to the ground. It was a lot to endure and she didn’t know how long she could. Already, she felt drained. “Just for a little bit. I have to beat this asshole,” she whispered to herself and forced her magic to shoot right at him and this time it was him who had to go on the defensive. Cursing and dodging, he glared at her with a vengeance, his bloodred eyes burning like coals.

She almost had a heart attack when she felt a surge of magic behind her that almost knocked her on her knees. Chängho sent a glare in her direction, proving that someone had indeed just appeared directly behind her. The demon didn’t hesitate to attack with his magic, but before she could do anything, a bright light appeared in front of her.

It was like a shield that enveloped her from all sides, hiding her from Chängho who cursed annoyedly, his chance to kill her gone.

“You idiot!” a familiar voice said. A pair of arms hugged her waist from behind, pushing her to a hard chest. She was enveloped by the scent of ash and cinnamon, knowing exactly who it was. He dimmed the uncontrollable flow of her magic. “I told you not to use your magic like this,” he scolded her, but there was a hint of worry beneath his anger. She turned around in his embrace to watch him, meeting his ruby eyes. They darkened significantly when he spotted the injuries on her neck and shoulders.

“You’re here,” she breathed, relief making her body feel light as a feather. She leaned into him and he let her, his hand stroking the back of her head.

“Because you can’t be left alone without getting in trouble,” he sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. “Why would you fight _him_ of all people? He could have killed you!”

“We met by coincidence and all I did was defend myself,” she replied. It was hard to be this close to him after what had happened. Her mind told her to push him away, but her traitorous heart fluttered, filling her with joy. No matter how much she lied to herself, she was happy to see him and his embrace had her knees go weak. It was just like a month ago, like they had never been separated.

His red eyes were entrancing, hypnotizing, and she was drawn in like a moth to a flame. She couldn’t rip her gaze away. The void within her heart suddenly wasn’t so painful anymore. He was the missing piece and now that he was here, she felt a hundred times better instantly.

“Thank you for coming,” she whispered, hiding her face at his leather jacket to conceal the wetness of her eyes.

“You owe me, and I expect you to pay me back later. I don’t do this for just anyone,” he huffed, his hands wandering lower, coming to a halt over her hips. Her breath hitched, body freezing as the meaning behind his words registered in her hazy mind. Eyes opening wide, she lifted her chin to look at his face, seeing a mix between concern and annoyance.

“D-Does that mean you’re planning to… to stay?” she stuttered in disbelief, scared to let hope grow within her, fearing it would be crushed once more.

“I told you I needed time to think, and I came to the conclusion that you won’t survive without a babysitter,” he said cheekily, his lips twitching in amusement when she pouted.

“We talked about the babysitter thing, I’m an adult!” she complained, but she was unable to hide the relief that washed over her like a calming wave. “Don’t go back on your word, you’re staying!”

“It’s a promise.”

He leaned in and stole a brief kiss from her that left her wanting more. When their gazes met, she read boundless relief in his eyes and realized that he must have missed her too—she hadn’t been the only one longing to be together.

With this in mind, she stood on her tiptoes and connected their lips once more, feeling her heart beat excitedly in her chest. An overwhelming sense of joy overcame her and let her forget about everything around her. His lips were as soft as she remembered, melding with hers as if they were made for each other. Being so close to him after such a long time made her feel like she had found water in the middle of the desert. Her heart no longer ached. She was content.

“I trust you to stay,” she smiled at him when they separated, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in weeks. She wanted to hug him, to kiss him a hundred times and never let go, but there was a problem they needed to deal with first…

“You’re making me want to throw up,” Chängho chimed in when he finally managed to break through the shield made of light that Baëkhyun had put in between them. He was fuming, staring hatefully at Minji and Baëkhyun who had forgotten about his presence for a moment, too busy with each other.

“You must have been bonded to her. _Disgusting_ ,” Chängho spat. “You’re not bonded anymore, demon. Why don’t you kill her now? What difference would it make? She’s a worthless human. Snapping her neck would be so easy and you would be rid of this nuisance… you could just move on with your life.”

“Hold your tongue,” Baëkhyun snapped hatefully. “What I’m doing is none of your business.”

“Well, if you don’t do it, then I’m going to,” Chängho grinned.

“Not like I would let you,” Baëkhyun countered aggressively, the look in his eyes screaming murder. It was burning with fiery madness, his pupil becoming smaller until it was the size of a needle. Minji shuddered, but she didn’t let go of him. She still found it hard to get used to the demonic side of him that craved to kill and to destroy. Whenever it appeared, she grew uneasy around him, an old habit she had never shaken off. However, knowing that she didn’t need to fear him reassured her.

“You’re a pathetic excuse for a demon,” Chängho scoffed. “Did you go soft because of that useless bitch?”

The only answer he received was a low snarl coming from deep in Baëkhyun’s throat. He didn’t like being insulted and Chängho would pay soon enough. Shoving her behind him, he willed orbs of burning hot light into existence that hovered around his body and glowed ominously. The sight would have been bizarre had Minji not seen it a hundred times already. Sensing his familiar magic that was so similar to hers had her calm down, so she didn’t feel afraid anymore. If they worked together against Chängho, they would probably give him a run for his money.

However, Baëkhyun didn’t seem to plan on letting her participate in the fight, shooting her a dark glare over his shoulder when he felt her magic surge. “Don’t interfere,” he snapped, eyes flashing.

Minji’s mouth formed a line. “Don’t tell me what to do!”

“You’d only get hurt,” he said stubbornly, his rough tone being something she was already used to.

Chängho laughed amusedly, his condescending smirk riling Minji up. “Do you hear that? You’re a nuisance to him, someone who’s just dragging him down,” he sneered. “Puny human.”

“Do _not_ insult her!” Baëkhyun roared and attacked without warning. Light exploded around his fists and then he did something that Minji hadn’t thought possible. His magic formed a weapon—a long silver rapier with a sharp blade. He held its hilt in a tense grip and used it to attack Chängho who seemed just as surprised as Minji.

The tip of the deadly blade shot towards him at the speed of light. He cursed, created a shield made of darkness, and evaded at the last possible moment. Baëkhyun wasn’t deterred by this, on the contrary. Facing a worthy opponent excited him, made his demonic self burn with the desire to kill.

His eyes faded to ruby and a malicious smirk stretched over his lips as he continued to jab his rapier at Chängho.

Minji sensed that they were both using enormous amounts of magic as they fought, letting it all loose at once in the hopes to be victorious in this duel. They both knew that it wouldn’t end before one of them was dead, so they didn’t hold back at all. She was astonished that they were capable of using so much magic, and she hoped that this wouldn’t end up being a mistake.

Baëkhyun’s aggressive attacks forced Chängho to go on the defensive since he hardly had a chance to retaliate. Using darkness and shadows to shield himself, he was driven back.

Baëkhyun twirled his rapier provocatively, inclining his head. “Is that all?” he mocked and smirked arrogantly. “I hunted you down for so long, and now you’re done for after only a few minutes? How disappointing.”

Chängho gritted his teeth and glared at him, his anger fueling his will to win. Darkness rose around his body and he sent it in Baëkhyun’s direction. Baëkhyun evaded narrowly, the fabric of his jacket being ripped at the sleeves.

“Are you getting desperate?” the white-haired demon taunted and used his rapier to slash Chängho’s arm in retaliation. They clashed again and again, so fast that Minji could barely follow them with her eyes. She had long since realized that she wouldn’t have stood a chance on her own—she was too slow to take Chängho on and even with her magic, she couldn’t have won easily.

The longer he had to dodge and evade without striking back, the angrier Chängho became. He was seething with hate for his opponent, and his fury wanted to be let out. A surge of his magic manifested in front of him suddenly, and Baëkhyun’s eyes widened when he realized that he wouldn’t be able to avoid it.

He shielded his face with his arm when it hit him, sharp shreds made of pure darkness cutting his skin deep enough to draw blood. Clenching his jaw, he vowed to pay him back ten times, but Chängho attacked once more, using the demon’s own shadow against him just like he’d done before with Minji.

She saw the impending danger, saw that Baëkhyun didn’t notice, and decided to step in. Willing her magic into existence, she let it shoot towards him and repelled the darkness behind him. Now he finally realized his mistake, throwing Chängho a dirty look.

“Fucking coward,” he spat.

Chängho cursed, his attention moving from Baëkhyun to her. Fierce red eyes stared her down as his lips formed a terrifying smile. “Who told you to get involved, human? You’re asking to die,” he snarled.

“Leave her out of this!” Baëkhyun thundered and intercepted him before he could get anywhere near her. Again, Baëkhyun summoned a large amount of his magic to attack the other demon, using his rapier to slash at him. There was an urgency in his movement that hadn’t been there before—he wanted to end this fight as soon as possible since he didn’t want to put her life at risk by dragging it out.

Chängho seemed to notice his intentions and gave him a hard time, but in the end, he couldn’t put up with a demon hellbent on murder. Baëkhyun’s movements were fluid and skillful. He had done this a hundred times before and he wouldn’t falter now. Jabbing his rapier at Chängho, he pierced his stomach, drawing blood.

Minji had to avert her eyes, the scene becoming too gruesome for her to witness. She knew that this was the only way to stop Chängho, but that didn’t mean she liked to see him die. Shivering, she hugged herself and wished for this to be over soon.

Baëkhyun used Chängho’s moment of shock to his advantage and stabbed him another time, making sure that he would die, that he wouldn’t be able to recover from his wounds. Baëkhyun’s hand was splattered with blood, the red fluid running down the silver blade of his weapon, but he didn’t pay it any mind, focusing his ruby eyes on Chängho’s staggering body.

He clutched his wounds and swayed, falling to the ground with a curse. “Fucking demon,” he rasped spitefully. “How can someone like _you_ defeat _me_?”

“Shut the fuck up,” Baëkhyun spat. “You’ve caused enough problems.”

“I… I won’t accept this,” Chängho breathed, his gaze moving to Minji. “You are both going to die with me.” He wouldn’t be defeated by the kind of people he hated most and even as his life faded, he wanted nothing more than to bring them down. Curling his lips into a sinister smirk, he gathered the last bits of his magic that he had left.

Baëkhyun’s eyes widened when he realized what was about to happen. He closed the distance between him and Minji with quick strides, hugging her to his chest as he commanded the light to form a shield around them. She had no idea how it was possible for him to have so much magic left to use, sensing that he was summoning a lot of it and it worried her. _He was overdoing it._

Only seconds after, an explosion of shadows engulfed the entire area around them, it’s devastating strength destroying the forest in the vicinity. Plants and trees were eradicated, rendered to ash, and swallowed up by darkness. It was a disturbing sight that showed her how dangerous Chängho and all other demons of his kind truly were.

Her stomach dropped in fear and she heard Baëkhyun mutter a low curse. His body trembled in exhaustion, but he kept the shield up until the shadows around them had vanished. When they faded, they uncovered a scene of destruction. Nothing was left of the plants; they had all withered away or simply vanished into thin air. Chängho was gone as well; there was no trace of him left and she assumed he had used up all his magic, killing himself in the process.

That he’d go this far just to murder her and Baëkhyun was horrifying to her.

Minji was about to open her mouth to say something to Baëkhyun, but the words got stuck in her throat. Without warning, he let go of her, his knees giving out. He fell to the ground and she was too slow to catch him. Her eyes widened and she sat next to him in a hurry, panic flooding her body.

“Baëkhyun!” she cried, but she didn’t receive an answer. He laid on his side and didn’t move anymore except for the erratic heaves of his chest. His eyes were closed, beads of sweat forming on his brow. Minji had no clue what was wrong. She could see that he had many injuries, but none of them appeared to be life-threatening, so what was happening to him?

“Come on, open your eyes for me,” she pleaded, putting her hand on his cheek that felt cold to the touch. Even for a demon, this was not healthy. “Baëkhyun, this isn’t funny! Please say something!”

Tears welled up in her eyes as desperation began to eat away at her hope. She had a very bad feeling about this, an ominous sense of foreboding filling her. He was still breathing, but the heaving of his chest had become weaker and now it seemed that he could barely get any air into his lungs. She had never been this worried in her life, a lump forming in her throat when he continued to wither away before her eyes.

Her gaze frantically moved over his unmoving body and fell on the ends of his white braids. Leaning closer, she saw that his hair was turning to ash, disintegrating into nothingness. It was a slow process, but seeing it scared her to the core. Glancing back at his face, she noticed that his skin was turning an unhealthy grey, ash particles rising towards the sky, and she remembered something that Baëkhyun had told her a long, long time ago when they had only just met.

_When demons die, they turn to ash._

“N-No!” she cried, clutching his hand desperately as if that was enough to keep him from vanishing. “Baëkhyun, please! What’s wrong? I want to help you!”

Her whole body quaked, shoulders shaking when a sob left her throat and her emotions spilled out of her. She cried desperate tears that dripped down her chin.

“Don’t leave me again,” she pleaded. Her hand moved over his cheek, catching the particles of ash that seemed to originate from his skin. They felt cold, just as cold as his body. She couldn’t sense any magic within him; it was all gone. There was absolutely nothing left. Demons probably drew all their power from their magic and his must have been drained completely during the fight earlier. Why hadn’t he said anything? He must have known that using so much of it would lead to his death. Why would he risk dying just to protect her?

Another sob shook her body. She wasn’t ready to let him go. Not when he had just come back to her. He had to stay with her.

She clutched his cold hand desperately, letting her light magic flow from her body in an endless stream. “Take it! Take it all, I don’t need it,” she cried. “It’s yours anyway. I… I only borrowed it, isn’t that right?”

Golden threads of magic appeared, floating around her hands and connecting to his chest, flowing into his body. It was the same as trying to fill a bottomless pit with water. To Minji, it felt like she was going nowhere since she didn’t see a change. The smell of ash burned in her nose, spurring her to use even more of her magic, giving it back to him. It was exhausting since she had used up a lot of her magic earlier, but she was determined to help him. This was the only thing she could do for him right now and so she would try her all, even if she might not succeed in the end.

He was so pale, looked lifeless and it tore her heart apart.

She wanted him to open his eyes, to say one of his sarcastic remarks. She wanted to fool around with him like before. She wanted to kiss him and be close to him.

“Baëkhyun,” she breathed shakily, her own body growing weaker by the second. “You dumb demon, you can’t just leave me behind! How dare you!” she sobbed and leaned down, resting her forehead on his chest. It moved slightly as he inhaled and exhaled, proving that he was still alive and yet he never opened his eyes. Did she only prolong his suffering or did she help him by sharing her magic? She had no clue and it drove her insane.

Minji kept an eye on his face and she could have sworn that he looked a little healthier now, not as greyish anymore. “It’s not enough,” she panted when she came close to reaching her limit. She hardly had anything left to give and her body was burning in pain and exhaustion. Black spots danced over her vision; her last warning to stop.

“Shit. I need to stay awake,” she breathed, her hands reaching into her pocket to get her phone. She should have done this a lot earlier, but it hadn’t struck her mind in her panic. Dialing Yixing’s number, she impatiently waited for him to pick up, and luckily, he didn’t take long.

“Minji?” he asked, sounding surprised.

“I need your help,” she whispered, hardly getting the words out. “Baëkhyun and I got into a fight with a demon and… and he is dying. I-I don’t know what to do, I’ve already given him most of my magic but he doesn’t wake up!”

Yixing seemed shocked and didn’t answer for a moment before he spoke. “Calm down, Minji. You did the right thing. Just don’t overdo it, okay? Tell me where you are and I’ll be there soon.”

She explained hastily where she had gone before she ended the call and threw the phone to the ground carelessly, her attention resting solely on Baëkhyun. He still hadn’t opened his eyes—it was driving her insane! Despite knowing that it was reckless and stupid, she kept releasing more of her magic, letting it pour into his chest. His body soaked the light up like a sponge and that proved to her how much he needed it. She couldn’t stop now.

“You need to live…” she panted, scrunching her brows. “Didn’t you tell me… so many months ago… that you didn’t plan on dying early? Then what are you doing now? You better open your eyes, Baëkhyun!”

Tears of desperation flowed down her cheeks. “I love you.” She never told him and she regretted it deeply.

* * *

_He had been watching them for a while, his greedy eyes moving over the human, scrutinizing the demon. Mouth forming a sneer, he thought about all the terrible things he would do to them later—they wouldn’t be able to run, wouldn’t be able to hide. He was very particular in choosing his victims and he never let them escape._

_Curling his hands to fists, he observed as the naïve woman gave her precious magic away without thinking. The demon’s life was withering away steadily, but the stupid human still thought she could save him. It was ridiculous but very entertaining to witness. His eyes took it all in as he crept closer to them. The human could have noticed him had she been more observant, had she used her magic to protect herself instead of giving it all away._

_A human capable of using demon magic was rare, so rare that he could not let her slip through his fingers without making use of her. It appeared like she had been bonded to the demon and it disgusted him. His skin crawled and he shuddered in abhorrence. He didn’t tolerate bonds, couldn’t stand the people who formed them. Just like Chängho, he wished to eradicate all humans and demons who committed such an outrageous act. He had to purge them from the face of earth and hell. He had to make them disappear._

_He snuck closer, the leaves and grass rustling under his boots, but she never noticed. Naïve, blind humans were his favorite. They were so easy to kill._

_The woman was shaking, falling forward. Her body landed on the chest of the demon who didn’t budge. They were both unconscious now and from what he could tell, not in a very promising state. He sneered. This was his chance to strike._

_However, he was forced to go back into hiding when two demons teleported on the clearing, appearing out of nowhere. One of them had black hair while the other’s hair was dark green and messy. They seemed distraught, running to the couple on the ground and checking if they were still alive._

_“We need to get them home now,” the black-haired demon said frantically. “And then we need to find Taëmin and Taeyøng. Their light magic could help!”_

_The green-haired demon stared at the other man, and then his head snapped around without warning, piercing white eyes zeroing in on the area where he was hiding. The demon took a step closer, a low snarl rumbling in his throat._

_“Kāi! What are you doing?”_

_“There is a pest nearby,” he growled, tilting his head creepily._

_“What are you talking about? Come on, we need to get them home!”_

_The green-haired demon appeared annoyed but complied and teleported all of them away._

_And just like that, he lost sight of his prey. It was taken away right from under his nose. “Whatever. I’ll find them sooner or later. Nobody escapes,” he grinned and vanished._


	27. Turning Back Time

The red flames of hell were burning brightly, reaching up to the eternal night sky. Hell was a bleak and dark place, and Baëkhyun couldn’t wait to show her the dazzling blue sky that was only visible on earth. He took her hand and grinned at her, seeing her curious eyes widen.

“Will you really take me there?” she asked hopefully.

“Yes,” he replied. “Just like you wished, Minā.”

She smiled and nodded, thankfulness swimming in her eyes. He squeezed her hand affectionately and tugged her after him when he created a portal that led to earth.

Minā was a young demon, not older than 200 years, and she was unable to open portals on her own. Since she had never left hell before, the human world was a foreign place to her that had sparked her interest ever since she had first learned of it. She had heard many stories about it from older demons, but none of them ever wanted to take her there. However, after she had pointed her wish out to Baëkhyun, he hadn’t hesitated to agree. She’d seen the amusement on his face when she had told him about it, but unlike the other demons, he hadn’t mocked her about her interest in humans.

She was grateful to have him, to be his girlfriend. He was always considerate when it came to her strange interests, and she appreciated that. Unable to contain her joy, she giggled and followed him through the portal, filled with nothing but anticipation.

As she reached the other side, she found herself in such a bright place that she had to shield her eyes for a moment due to the foreign brilliance. The two demons stood on a sandy plane in front of endless blue water that met the horizon in the far distance. It sparkled in the light, glimmered in all hues of blue. Minā had never seen anything like it and immediately fell in love with the sight. Her eyes widened in awe as she took everything in, never noticing Baëkhyun’s amused gaze following her every move.

She looked up at the sky that was not dark anymore but blue. There was a huge source of light up there, and she figured that this had to be the sun. She’d read about it before in the books she’d asked Baëkhyun to bring her from his trips to earth, but the pictures and descriptions could never compare to reality.

The sun was beautiful. So bright, so warm. She wanted to bask in its light all day long and never leave.

“Where are we?” she asked Baëkhyun curiously.

“This place is called Jeju,” he explained. “It’s an island surrounded by the sea and I thought you might like it.”

“I do like it,” she gushed. “Hell is so dull compared to this. No wonder many demons come here often. Thank you for showing me!”

He smiled softly and hugged her, pecking her lips. “It’s great to see you so happy, honey.”

“Can I meet humans now? I want to see them,” she asked eagerly, almost jumping up and down in excitement.

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, rolling his eyes. “They’re not all that special. You’ll be disappointed in the end.”

“Oh, don’t be a buzzkill, Baëk. I want to see them with my own eyes,” she grinned.

“You won’t stop begging, huh? Fine, let’s go. There’s a small town nearby where we should find some of these creatures.”

“Don’t be so mean, they’re not just creatures. I’m sure they are nice,” she said while he took her hand, linking his fingers with hers. Since she was a frost demon, her skin was always slightly colder than his, but that never bothered him. She was perfect in his eyes, from her silver-blonde hair to her Arctic blue eyes and lush lips. Ironically, she appeared more like an angel than a demon, and in hell, she was often mocked because of it by the other demons. Baëkhyun made sure to always give them a piece of his mind when he saw them. Sometimes he used the opportunity to fight them, but usually, they took off just seeing him.

“Minā, don’t be so impatient,” he laughed when she kept pulling at his arm, her steps going faster and faster when they reached the street and saw the first buildings appear in front of them. “We can come here again, no need to hurry.”

“I want to see everything now, though! Who knows when I’ll get the chance to return,” she replied and glanced around in wonder. The houses looked strange and foreign to her since the ones in hell were different, built to withstand the heat and extreme conditions of the place.

She stared at a weird thing that rolled by them and made very strange noises. It had four wheels and seemingly moved on its own.

“What’s that?” she asked and pointed at it.

“It’s a car,” Baëkhyun laughed. “Humans use it to move around. I doubt you’d want to hear the technical details though. Knowing you, they’d only bore you.”

“You’re right I guess. Humans are smarter than I thought, I wonder what else they invented,” she grinned, and they walked on while she observed the humans who passed them. Her shameless staring was noticed by many who scoffed at her only to be met with Baëkhyun’s smoldering hot glare that sent them far away from the demon couple. He wanted to make sure she had fun today, and none of those stupid humans should ruin it for her.

“Can we go over there?” she asked and pointed to another street with lots of shops and colorful advertisements decorating their windows. They piqued her interest; she wanted to see them up close.

“Sure,” he replied and let himself be pulled along as they crossed the street and walked down the sidewalk so she could peer into the shop windows.

“Ohh, look! Do you see that?” she sputtered when her eyes fell on a flower shop selling many colorful bouquets. “So beautiful! Those are flowers, right?”

“Indeed,” he grinned. “I figured you would like them. If you pick one of those bouquets, I’m going to buy it for you.”

“R-Really?” she asked and gaped at him as if he just revealed to her that cars could fly. She didn’t need to be told twice and walked over to the flowers, letting her eyes drift over them undecidedly. There were red ones that looked rather elegant with layered petals… but there were also pink, yellow, white, and orange ones. Minā didn’t know where to look first, standing around undecidedly for a while. Baëkhyun studied her silently and did not rush her—they had all the time in the world. Eventually, she picked a white bouquet, and Baëkhyun entered the shop with her to buy it. They were greeted by an elderly woman who smiled at them.

“Hello you two, what can I do for you?” she asked politely and Baëkhyun handed her the bouquet.

“I want to buy this one,” he said curtly and tapped his foot impatiently when the woman let her eyes move from him to his girlfriend.

She hesitated for a moment, before she said, “I see. That’s an unusual choice for a couple.”

She proceeded to wrap the lower half of the bouquet in paper so it would be protected and look prettier, not noticing Baëkhyun and Minā exchanging a questioning glance.

“Excuse me, but what do you mean by that?” she asked and tilted her head.

The woman looked up from what she was doing and observed the blonde demon over the rim of her glasses. “Don’t you know what kind of flowers those are?” she asked and saw her shake her head. “Those are called chrysanthemums. They are commonly used to decorate graves since they symbolize death. I thought you were familiar with them. If you want to choose a different bouquet, please go ahead.”

Minā frowned and gnawed at her lower lip, thinking about it for a moment. Those flowers were her favorites, and she didn’t want another bouquet. “No, I want this one,” she smiled. The woman seemed surprised, but nodded and continued to wrap the flowers, handing the bouquet to her after Baëkhyun paid for it.

“Have a nice day,” the elderly woman called after them, seeing Minā wave at her before they left the shop.

The young demon beamed and stuck her nose into the flowers, noting that they smelled sweet. She sniffed them like a dog and ended up sneezing. Baëkhyun rolled his eyes at her and snorted.

“What are you doing, idiot? You’ll ruin them.”

“Sorry. It’s just that they smell really good. Want to try?” she asked and held it in his face, but he quickly dodged her and grimaced.

“No thank you. Those are not the kind of flowers I like.”

“Huh, do you have a favorite type of flower?” Minā wanted to know, not having expected that. He seemed a little reluctant to admit it, but he nodded, deciding there was no harm in telling her. She was the last person who’d mock him for it.

“Sword lilies,” he replied.

“Did they have those at the shop?”

“No,” he said and saw her face fall.

“Oh, I would have liked to see them. But maybe some other time,” she said, staying optimistic about it.

“Yes, maybe some other time,” he said absentmindedly as he watched the people who passed them. The street was crowded since it was early evening and he spotted several humans heading home from work. 

They strolled down the street for another while, and Minā took everything in with wide eyes. She couldn’t get enough of this foreign place, wanted to spend days here, maybe even years. In her opinion, Baëkhyun couldn’t have picked a better place to visit. If all towns on earth were this beautiful and brimming with life, then she wanted to come here more often! She was sure he would agree to it as well.

There was one more thing she wanted to do today and seeing that the sun was starting to set already, she’d have to hurry up a little. “Can we try the food they sell here?” she asked him. “I want to eat ice cream; it’s supposed to be very sweet.”

“I’ll get you some ice cream. There’s a parlor just down the street,” he said, but seeing that she had gotten distracted by another shop window, he smirked to himself. “If you want to look around more, you can wait here. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Okay, thank you so much,” she smiled and he playfully ruffled her blonde hair before he left. She watched him disappear in the crowd, already looking forward to tasting ice cream for the first time in her life.

Today had been very eventful and she knew that she would hold those memories in her heart forever. Looking down at the flowers in her hand had her smile brighten. Chrysanthemums… they were truly beautiful. Something so gorgeous did not exist in hell. It was a bleak and depressing place and therefore she was eternally grateful to Baëkhyun for showing her earth.

Maybe he’d agree to move here with her. As far as she knew, he even had a friend who had done the very same thing. She recalled that his name was Läy. If he could do it, then why not her as well?

“Excuse me?” she heard someone say and turned around, seeing two humans standing in front of her. Feeling flustered, she didn’t know what to do at first since she didn’t have any experience with humans and their customs, so she watched them quietly with a questioning gaze.

“Would you be willing to help us with something?”

* * *

Baëkhyun was getting annoyed at the stupid people who were in line in front of him. They all took forever to decide which kind of ice cream flavor they wanted and he was tempted to just push them out of the way. Who did they think they were? Making _him_ wait? He found the audacity with which they treated him preposterous. Then again, they were blind and oblivious. They didn’t even know that demons existed in the first place, so he couldn’t blame them for their stupidity.

He didn’t want to make Minā wait for too long. He’d already been gone for a good fifteen minutes and knowing her, she would get distracted by something, perhaps even wander off somewhere. Maybe he shouldn’t have left her alone; she could be a troublemaker.

Glancing at the long line in front of him, he let out an exasperated sigh, and just when he wanted to curse at the humans, he sensed something that scared him to the core. He turned around abruptly and looked back to where he had left Minā. A strong surge of frost magic flared somewhere in the vicinity.

Minā very rarely used her magic—she was too kindhearted and gentle to use it offensively, except for when she had to defend herself. He reacted quickly and ran in the direction of the magical power, using his heightened demon senses to follow its trail. He was panicking, fear making his heart pound faster. Something was wrong, he just knew it. Something very bad was happening to her and he had to help her _now_.

He sprinted over the street, headed into the next alley, and ran on until he reached the edge of town. A forest surrounded it and since her magic was easier to sense here, she had to be close by. Looking around undecidedly, he felt another surge of magic followed by a blood-curdling scream that had his fear reach its peak. His eyes colored red and he took off towards the desperate sound of her voice.

“Minā!” he screamed, but he didn’t receive an answer. He was scared, so scared. Where was she? What was happening to her? His thoughts were running wild, his imagination already showing him the worst. He jumped over bushes, ran past trees, and then he reached a clearing, spotting Minā immediately.

The scene he was faced with was worse than anything he could have imagined and it tore his heart apart. All air left his lungs. He was frozen to the spot, couldn’t move, could only stare at her.

She stood in the middle of the clearing, bathed in moonlight. Blood covered her frail body, its sickeningly red color pouring from deep wounds on her skin. The blue fabric of her blouse soaked it up until it was dyed scarlet. A tremble ran through her delicate body and her lips parted, opened in a silent scream. Another violent shudder shook her entire form before she collapsed and fell to the ground.

He was overwhelmed by panic and rage. His eyes were brimming with boundless wrath and hatred as he stared at the group of demon hunters who were responsible for her injuries. They glared at him, readying themselves to fight him. Light magic burst from his body in waves, its raw and unbridled power keeping the filthy humans around him away. It was bright and burning hot like molten lava. He barely heard their cries, focused entirely on Minā.

Sprinting towards her fallen body, he feared the worst. Even from afar, it was plain to see that she had sustained too many wounds, that she was losing too much blood. There was a limit even for a demon; they weren’t immortal and they could die just like any other being. He drew in a shuddering breath as he finally reached her and knelt on the grass.

“Minā! _Minā!_ ” he yelled at the top of his lungs, his desperate voice reverberating around him. Numbing cold took hold of his heart, icy tendrils of fear crept through his body.

She laid on her back and stared up at the night sky without reacting to his voice. It was as if she was in a haze, her senses failing her. Her face was as white as a sheet and her skin turned an unhealthy grey.

“Minā, can you hear me?” he breathed desperately, leaning over her and hoping for a reaction. Anything. Any kind of reassurance that she was alright.

She wasn’t and he knew it, but he wasn’t ready to accept it. She was turning to ash slowly, her beautiful blonde hair withering away at the ends. Her heavily injured body couldn’t take the damage anymore, and her life faded before his eyes.

All he wanted was to hold her and tell her that it would be fine in the end, that he could fix it somehow—but he’d be lying to them both. Seeing a tear slip from her eye ripped his heart apart. Even though she wasn’t moving, wasn’t speaking, he knew that she was in pain and he wanted to help her, but he was unable to and he hated himself for it.

Baëkhyun had always prided himself on his strength, being one of the most powerful light demons that existed, but his strength couldn’t save her. It meant _nothing_. For the first time in his entire life, he’d lost control over everything. For the first time, he couldn’t rely on raw violence to solve the problem. Right now, he was at a loss. His hands were tied.

Minā would die, and it was his fault.

Baëkhyun took her ice-cold hand and held it to his chest while he leaned over her. “Minā, please don’t leave me,” he begged.

His voice broke. He felt like he was trapped in a nightmare, but this scene was very much real. Never had he felt such overwhelming horror. Fear had been foreign to him, but now it held him in its grasp, made his heart beat nervously in his chest.

Her chapped lips parted. She blinked and finally, her gaze moved to him. The corners of her lips lifted just a slight bit as she attempted to smile at him. However, it didn’t look like a smile at all. She looked like she was about to cry.

“B- Baëkhyun,” she whimpered quietly with a raspy tone in her voice. Speaking cost great effort, but she fought the heavy weight that had settled on her and dragged her life away. She still had something important to tell him before she would leave. “Live o-on without… me. P-Please… promise me. I-I want… you to be… happy.”

“No, no, no! We are living on together!” he said hastily and squeezed her deadly cold hand. “ _Together_ , do you hear me?”

Part of him was still in denial and it pained her to see the tears burning in his deep red eyes. The desperation swirling through them was too much. Minā had never seen him cry before and she had never expected to be the reason for his tears either. The sight made her heart hurt painfully. She wanted him to be happy, wished to comfort him, and to embrace him like she always did when he didn’t feel well, but she was too weak and her left hand had already turned to ash.

Minā was numb, her injuries didn’t hurt anymore, but the coldness that replaced the agony was by no means better. It scared her to the core. She was afraid of death; she had always been. The sole thought of her life being snuffed out made her body tremble in fright.

She didn’t want to die. There were so many things in life she hadn’t experienced yet, so many places she hadn’t seen yet. Just when she had discovered earth for the first time, seen its beauty, the shining sun on the sky, and the colorful flowers, she was forced to give it all up. The price of seeing it was her life.

In the end, her empathetic nature had been her downfall. With any other demon, the hunters’ plan would have failed, but she fell right into their trap. She had always been a gentle demon, one that did not take pleasure in killing and hurting others. She couldn’t hurt a fly and had often been mocked for it, but her soft heart never bothered Baëkhyun who had been attracted to her since they first met.

Baëkhyun held on to her hand for dear life, clutching it like his touch alone would keep her alive. He didn’t hide his emotions and when another tear rolled down his cheek, she teared up as well.

Minā knew that he would be devastated if she left him behind. What if he ended up doing something stupid? What if something happened to him? She was aware of how impulsive he could be when his temper got the best of him and right now it seemed like he wasn’t himself anymore.

Her helplessness and desperation drove her to do something she normally would have never even thought of, but the situation was dire and so she had no other choice. Dull blue eyes stared up at the sky, spotting a few sparkling stars on its dark backdrop. Exhaling, she attempted to calm herself and collected her thoughts.

Maybe, just maybe, Heaven would show mercy, even if she was a demon.

_I have a wish and I’m begging you to grant it. After my life has reached its end and my body turned to ash, please don’t let him be alone. I love him with all my heart and I truly want him to be happy. I don’t want him to be alone and bitter. It’s my last wish and the only thing I’ll ever ask of you; please have mercy!_

She watched the stars and waited for a sign. Anything that would have told her that her wish was heard, but nothing happened. The sky stayed dark and gloomy, the stars shining just the same as before. An eerie silence had fallen over the clearing and only the rustling of the wind in the treetops reached her ears. Her vision blurred, shapes became unrecognizable, colors melted together. She couldn’t see Baëkhyun clearly anymore, but she didn’t need to see him to know that he was still crying. The desperation within her became too much. Holding on to her hope, she prayed that her last wish would be granted, even if it was unlikely.

Knowing that her end came closer, she drew in one last breath. Ash particles covered her cheek, washed away by her tears.

“Minā,” Baëkhyun stuttered, choking on his anguish. He clutched her hand for dear life and stared at her face pleadingly. “I love you.”

She never heard his words. Her hand went limp in his hold and her eyes stared at the sky without seeing it, empty and void of life. The hollowness within them was painful to see, he could hardly take it.

Her soul was gone now and within seconds, her entire body turned to ash that was scattered by the wind. Baëkhyun remained alone, staring at the spot where she had laid just moments before. The agony in his chest became unbearable, spread through his entire body until every fiber of him was hurting. He looked at his hand that had held hers, tears spilling from his eyes as he stared at the emptiness of his palm. His fingers trembled. He couldn’t believe it.

“Minā, no!” he screamed hoarsely. Nothing remained of her—she was gone like she had never existed, as was the fate of any demon who died.

All of this was _his_ fault. He was pitiful and weak and useless, a pathetic excuse for a demon. He couldn’t protect anyone, all he was capable of was destroying things, killing people. He was the one who ultimately ruined her—if he hadn’t brought her here, she would still be alive. He didn’t deserve to live on when she was dead and he should have just died with her. His sorrow made him collapse and he hit the ground with his fists.

“Come back! You can’t be gone!” he sobbed. He was drained, his will to live on fading the more his desperation grew. It rose higher and higher like a wave and when it crashed over him, it crushed his resolve.

He raised his head towards Heaven, glaring at the endless starry sky in bitterness. “Are you happy now?! You have taken it all, are you satisfied?” he screamed, but he didn’t receive an answer. There was only silence. All-encompassing. Mocking.

Baëkhyun slowly became numb. He kneeled on the ground and stared into space without seeing anything, without hearing anything. What was the point of his life now? Why was he still here?

The emptiness within him consumed him and made him blind to everything around him. He forgot about the demon hunters that were still lurking nearby, waiting for the right moment to strike.

When the wild flow of magic around him died down and vanished, they saw their chance to go through with the second part of their plan. One of them readied a silver dagger and drenched it in holy water, the weakness of any demon they had fought before. It had aided them in killing the female demon, and it would aid them in ending the life of her companion. They shared a glance before the demon hunter took aim and threw the dagger with deadly accuracy. It hit Baëkhyun’s back and buried itself deep in his body. He froze as terrible stinging pain flared in his back and spread through him. He shuddered and doubled over, taking shallow and uneven breaths.

The holy water stung and burned him, smoke rising up from the wound. He gritted his teeth, tensing his muscles in response to the agony the weapon inflicted on him. It made him want to give up, to stop fighting and accept death. He’d lost the most important person in his life—it didn’t hold any worth to him anymore.

However, he reminded himself of Minā’s last words and pondered over them before he decided that he would take them to heart. He would live on for her, and he would make sure that those filthy humans never killed another demon again.

He clutched the grip of the dagger and ripped it out, letting it clatter to the ground. The holy water on its blade was far from enough to kill a century-old demon like him. Ignoring the blood that poured from the wound, he got up and glared at the demon hunters who dared to throw another dagger at him. It was repelled by light and landed on the ground without doing damage.

Revenge was the only thing left on the demon’s hazy mind. The pain of his injury didn’t register anymore. Bloodlust glimmered in his red eyes as they focused on the filthy humans who had taken the one he loved most. They would pay with their lives—he’d kill them very slowly and then send their souls to purgatory.

If he was meant to destroy, then that’s what he would do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers!
> 
> Now I've finally revealed a crucial part of Baëkhyun's past! This should help a lot in understanding why he's acting the way he does and also why he hates humans so much. I've never written a death scene like this before and I hope I pulled it off?
> 
> Stay healthy, guys!  
> ❤ Jessie


	28. Straight to Hell

Her mind was hazy. Heavy exhaustion prevented her from moving even a bit. It was as if she hadn’t moved her limbs in weeks, as if they were melded to the ground. This foreign sensation worried and scared her. Breathing cost her a lot of effort, and for a moment she was terrified, thinking she would choke. Knowing that she was in a precarious state had her panic, and then she suddenly remembered all that had happened and _why_ she felt this way.

Fear hit her, struck her hard. _Where was Baëkhyun?_ Was he still alive? Hadn’t he been as good as dead when she last saw him? She couldn’t hold back the rising horror within her and opened her eyes abruptly, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. It was shrouded in shadows, so dark she couldn’t even make out its color.

Her eyes frantically moved around the room, not recognizing it. The furniture was modern and looked rather expensive. She didn’t know anyone who could afford anything like it and wondered where she had ended up. Had someone abducted her? The longer she thought about it, the more restless she became and eventually, she sat up, the blanket that had covered her slipping down. She moved to the edge of the bed, feeling dizzy and therefore hesitating to get up. Her magic seemed to be replenished, but her wounds were aching and stinging, prompting her to touch her neck and shoulders only to realize that they had been bandaged carefully. Who would have done this for her?

The moment she wanted to get up, the door was opened from the other side. She flinched, fearfully looking at the intruder, only to relax when she recognized him. It was Chanyeøl and he seemed astounded to see her awake, his features morphing from disbelief to happiness in a few seconds.

“Minji!” he said and approached her. “Are you okay?”

His voice lured another demon into the room, that being Kāi. He joined Chanyeøl and stood in front of the bed with him, gazing at her with his piercing white eyes.

“You’re _finally_ awake, sleeping beauty,” Kāi teased with a grin. “We’ve been waiting impatiently.”

“Where am I?” she asked, feeling somewhat relieved to see her friends here.

They exchanged a glance and hesitated to answer her. “Well, you see… how do we say it…?” Chanyeøl mumbled until Kāi had it with his slowness and just blurted it out.

“We’re in hell. Baëkhyun’s house to be exact.”

“W-What?!” she gasped, her eyes going wide and fearful as she was gripped by cold dread. “Am I dead?” she breathed in panic.

“No, no! You’re not!” Chanyeøl cut in before she lost her mind in horror. “Kāi, this is why I was hesitant to tell her. You idiot can’t keep your mouth shut!”

“Huh, what’s your problem? I was just honest!”

“It’s not the best moment to be honest, though.”

“Guys!” Minji chimed in when they started bickering. “Where is Baëkhyun?” she asked, scared to hear their answer.

“He’s… in a room nearby,” Chanyeøl answered, the hesitant tone of his voice terrifying her. “Unfortunately, he’s still unconscious. It’s been that way since we brought you here two days ago. You both were so drained of magic that we had to ask Taeyøng and Taëmin to lend you some of their light magic. Otherwise, you would have both died.” The fire demon became serious, his bi-colored eyes narrowing.

“It was a fucking close call,” Kāi added. “Läy took care of your wounds, but you should take it slow for the next few days.”

“I see,” she mumbled, trying to wrap her head around all they had revealed to her. She was glad that Yixing had found her and Baëkhyun in time. “Where is Baëkhyun? I want to see him.”

“You should eat first, you’ve been unconscious for too long,” Chanyeøl said, watching her pale complexion doubtfully. “You humans are fragile. Don’t be careless about your health. Baëkhyun will kill us if he finds out we didn’t take care of you.” He shuddered and looked scared for a second.

“Please, Chanyeøl! Just for a minute? I will eat afterward, I promise,” she pleaded and used her big puppy eyes on him that made him cave in fairly quickly.

“Okay, okay,” he sighed. “Come with me.”

“There’s not much to see, though. The idiot is just lying around,” Kāi nagged.

She got up and followed them through a door to a long hallway with dark tiles and grey walls. Baëkhyun’s preference for dark colors was prevalent in the entire house. While she was curious about his home and wanted to discover more of it, she was anxious to see him and didn’t have the patience for detours. The two demons showed her to a room just two doors down and told her to enter. She was scared, her heart beating nervously in her chest when she walked in, finding Baëkhyun motionless on the bed just like they had told her. She nearly stumbled over her own feet in her haste to get to him and stopped right next to him.

Outwardly, he didn’t have any injuries, but he was unnaturally pale, his skin almost matching his hair color. He appeared weak and ill, nothing like the proud, loudmouthed demon she was used to. Her heart sank and she frowned worriedly, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Maybe he’ll wake up if you ask him nicely,” Kāi teased and earned himself a slap from Chanyeøl.

“Shut up, you dumbass,” the fire demon hissed and dragged him out the room so she could have some privacy.

Minji leaned over him and laid her hand on his cheek, shocked at how cold he felt. Her fingers caressed his head, brushing over his silky white hair. She was worried about him, wondered how dangerous it was for a demon to be in a comatose state this long. After all, demons normally didn’t need sleep or rest. She had never seen him like this, not once in the entire three months she had known him.

“Baëkhyun, I don’t know if you can hear me,” she said sadly, continuing to caress his head. “I miss you, please wake up soon. It’s lonely without you… and I’m worried about you too.”

She remained at his side for a while and watched him with a frown until Chanyeøl opened the door and stuck his head inside. He sighed, approaching her.

“Why don’t you eat something now and come back after?” he asked sternly and crossed his arms, not letting her out of his sight until she nodded reluctantly.

“Fine,” she mumbled and got up to follow him.

* * *

Since demons didn’t need food to survive, there was nothing edible around in Baëkhyun’s house. Therefore, the demons had improvised and briefly paid a visit to the human world to get something for her. She ended up with Chinese takeout that she scarfed down in record time. Minji hadn’t eaten for days and her stomach had been painfully empty, so she was grateful to Chanyeøl and Kāi for taking care of her.

They had talked for a while, but both had quickly noticed how impatient and unconcentrated she was, knowing that she wanted to go back to a certain someone as soon as possible.

“You’re so whipped for him,” Kāi snickered when she started drumming her fingers on the table in the kitchen. “It’s not like you’re missing out on anything, he’s still unconscious.”

“You don’t get it, Kāi,” she replied and grimaced.

“Then explain it to me,” he smirked, prompting Chanyeøl to roll his eyes.

“We’re _not_ having a conversation about romance in this house,” he cut in annoyedly and stared Kāi down with his creepy bi-colored eyes. “Why don’t we go and tell the others that Minji woke up? Then she can have some alone time with him, and we can talk more when we are back.”

“You’re no fun,” Kāi sighed but complied with the fire demon.

“Shut it,” Chanyeøl retorted before he glanced at Minji. “We’ll be back in a while. Just make yourself at home, Minji. You’re safe as long as you don’t leave the house.”

“O-Okay,” she said and got up. “See you later.”

They both nodded at her and then Kāi teleported them away, leaving her alone in the kitchen. She wondered for how long they would be gone but didn’t dwell on the thought. Her legs had already started moving, carrying her back through the hallway to Baëkhyun’s room.

She closed the door behind her and walked to the bedside, sitting down and watching him quietly. His eyes were still shut, but something in his expression had changed compared to earlier. It seemed like he wasn’t feeling well, scrunching his brows and curling his lips downward. He was unconscious, but his lips parted as if he wanted to say something.

“Are you having a nightmare?” she mumbled and laid her hand on his cheek, the pads of her fingers gently touching him. She hoped to calm him down like this, but her attempt was fruitless. Whatever he was dreaming about couldn’t be anything good—he let out a low groan, clenching his jaw.

“Wake up, Baëkhyun!” she said in a louder tone, leaning over him in worry. Yet again he didn’t react. The nightmare seemed to cause him distress since he became even more restless. He grimaced and even looked _scared_. She had never seen him display this emotion before, so her concern only grew. Minji didn’t know what to do. She grabbed Baëkhyun’s shoulders, tried to get him to wake up, but he didn’t react to her touch. Feeling helpless, she kneeled next to him on the mattress and shook him, called out to him.

“Wake up, you have to wake up! Calm down please!” she shouted frustratedly. “Baëkhyun!”

While the shaking didn’t seem to help, her loud voice on the other hand reached him. He stopped moving around and stilled. She bowed lower and cupped his cheek with her hands. He was so cold; it was frightening.

“Wake up,” she repeated once more and looked at him when his eyelids fluttered. A low groan left his throat. He scrunched his brows and then he opened his eyes so suddenly that she flinched back.

They moved searchingly through the room, his breaths quickening in a panic until he spotted her next to him. Minji was astonished at how fast he moved when he sat up and hugged her, nearly crushing her with the inhuman force he used. His arms were like a vice, keeping her body close enough to his that she struggled to breathe for a moment. As soon as his brain caught up with his actions, he loosened his grip and she relaxed.

He didn’t say a word, and he didn’t need to for her to know that he was far from alright. They didn’t require a bond anymore to understand each other’s feelings. She felt the rise and fall of his chest as he took a shuddering breath and hid his face at her neck, warm puffs of air fanning over her skin. Her hand came to rest on the back of his head and moved over his silky white hair soothingly.

“It’s okay, Baëkhyun. Calm down,” she whispered, and he responded to her words by hugging her waist and clutching her t-shirt with his hands. She wished she knew what was wrong with him since his unusual behavior seriously worried her. Never before had she seen him act like this. He radiated crushing sorrow, and his erratic breaths told her that he hadn’t recovered from his nightmare yet.

When wet drops of water touched her neck, she was shocked and faltered. “Are you crying?” she whispered.

“No,” he replied hoarsely. “Demons never cry.”

“I see,” she said quietly and wound her left arm around his torso, wanting to offer comfort. Her right hand continued to brush over his hair as he rested his head on her body, just below her collarbones. Whatever he just went through, it must have shaken him up so much that his shell cracked. She’d never thought she’d see the day he would cry in front of her. And to be honest, she never wanted that either. It pained her, the sight of his crushed form in her arms sending a pang right through her heart. Her hands moved through his white strands of hair, his body relaxing a little more with every second that passed. He held on to her for dear life; like he’d expect her to vanish into thin air if he let go.

“I missed you,” she said softly, hearing him sigh in response, but he didn’t speak. She took it upon herself to fill the silence with her voice, believing it would offer him comfort and distract him from whatever had been bothering him. “I was lonely without you, and I’m sure you must have felt the same way. It was strange to be home alone all the time, to eat dinner without having company. You’re important to me and that’s why I’m glad you came back. I expect you to stay,” she whispered, seeing his head shift a little, revealing his face. She noticed that he’d closed his eyes and listened to the soft sound of her voice without looking at her. Despite having been unconscious for so long, he appeared exhausted, shadows laying under his eyes.

“Are you falling asleep again, hm?” she sighed, her hand moving from the back of his head to brush his long braids with her fingers, occasionally grazing the side of his neck. She’d never stop marveling at the silkiness of his hair and its pure white color. It was a strange hair color for a demon to have and she knew for a fact that most demons had darker hair, but she loved him just the way he was. He couldn’t be more perfect in her eyes. Her touches continued, and he genuinely enjoyed them, his tired mind not registering anything but the sound of her voice and the soft caress of her hands on his hair.

Minji glanced down at his head that still rested over her chest. Considering how much he clung to her now had her wonder yet again why he left her in the first place. Seeing how worried he’d been when they had encountered Chängho, and how he’d protected her, she was convinced that she was important to him. And not just a little bit.

She came to realize that he didn’t leave her out of selfishness, but for an entirely different reason. It had been his way of trying to keep her save from the demons who posed a danger to bonded humans, but he must have realized himself that parting ways with her had been a stupid idea, so he came back on his own and she was thankful for that. Still, a part of her wanted to give him a tirade for making her go through hell for a whole month. Being separated from him had been painful, she’d often been on the verge of giving up and if it hadn’t been for Yixing and Tao, then maybe she would have.

Sighing, she gazed at him, seeing that his eyes were closed. He seemed to have calmed down now but apparently didn’t want to budge. “Don’t you think you’ve been asleep for long enough?” she remarked quietly, her smile filled with adoration for him. “Will you get up?”

“No, ‘m not getting up,” he mumbled.

It wasn’t like she could refuse him, so she let herself sink on her back and pulled him down with her. Half of his torso ended up on the mattress while the other half rested on her, his head nestled to her neck. He hugged her waist and tangled his legs with hers, getting comfortable. Minji knew that he didn’t plan on moving from this spot anytime soon, and she didn’t mind that. She enjoyed being with him after a month of separation; the strange void within her heart finally being filled even though they weren’t bonded anymore. His sole presence sufficed to calm her and ease her worries.

She closed her eyes, absentmindedly playing with his long braids that were splayed over her chest. His embrace was comforting—slowly, she was getting tired too, but she knew that she couldn’t just sleep in the middle of the day. Then again, it was always night in hell… Minji sighed and opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling.

“I’m not the only one who’s been waiting for you to wake up. Your friends are getting more impatient each day, and they might tear your house down soon,” she said and smiled faintly.

She hadn’t wanted to upset him with her words, but that was exactly what happened. He stiffened and sat up straight, staring at her with wide eyes before he looked around the room and finally realized that they in fact weren’t in Minji’s flat, but in his own home in the pits of hell. Panic flashed over his face.

“Why… are we in hell?” he said disbelievingly. “Why are _you_ in hell? It’s much too dangerous here! Who brought you here?”

“Your friends,” she answered and he scowled.

“Where are they?” he growled.

“They’ll come by later,” she said. “It’s fine, calm down.”

His bloodred eyes were a very clear indicator that he wouldn’t calm down any time soon, so she sighed defeatedly and took his hand in hers, squeezing it tightly. “You only just woke up from a coma that lasted for days. First and foremost, you need to take care of yourself. Everything else isn’t important,” she said sternly and glowered at him when he opened his mouth to object.

“But—”

“No. You’re staying right here and you won’t move an inch, understood?”

“We demons aren’t as easy to break as you humans.”

“So what?” she said. “Demons aren’t immortal either.”

He hesitated, his eyes moving to the windows behind her, staring at the night sky with a bitter frown. “You don’t need to remind me of that. I wouldn’t ever forget.”

She watched him unsurely, not knowing what to make of his sudden change, sensing that she might have said something wrong. “Baëkhyun?”

He looked at her questioningly, lifting an eyebrow.

“How are you feeling?” she asked carefully, not necessarily talking about his physical state and he seemed to know that.

“Fine,” he said unconvincingly.

“Baëkhyun, you… you know that you can tell me when something’s bothering you, right?”

“Yes, I know that,” he muttered, his eyes straying back to the window. “I just… had a nightmare. That’s it.”

Minji held in a sigh and decided not to push it. If he didn’t want to tell her, then she’d accept that.

“I’m glad you’re awake now—I was very worried about you since you almost died after we fought Chängho,” she explained reluctantly, mumbling her words. Those uncertain moments in which she hadn’t known whether he would live or not had shaken her up. She couldn’t forget about him lying on the ground, slowly dying. “Do you remember what happened?”

“No, my memory is very hazy,” he replied and studied her, noticing that her eyes were suspiciously glossy. Tears were about to spill over. “I don’t recall anything after the fight ended. What happened?”

She took a deep breath and tried to keep her composure. “Y-You used up all your magic, s-so I shared mine with you to save you, but it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t strong enough to help you on my own. In the end, I called Yixing for help, but I don’t even remember him arriving because I lost consciousness too.”

“Why would you do that, idiot?” he yelled agitatedly, cupping her cheeks with his hands.

“Because you were turning to ash, _idiot!_ I didn’t want to lose you,” she snapped, and that shut him up for some reason. He stared at her with wide eyes, the red within them slowly fading so the blue became visible again. “If you want me to spell it out for you, then fine, I will do just that! Listen closely, stubborn demon. You are _very_ important to me and I’m not planning on letting you go again.”

Now he really was speechless. The strange pain she had briefly read in his eyes disappeared and was replaced by a different emotion. She suddenly noticed how close they were—their noses were almost touching, a strand of his white hair tickling her brow. Minji looked right into his eyes, seeing tiny dark blue sprinkles in the lighter blue of his iris. It was dyed a darker color around the edge before it faded to sky-blue. Getting lost in his eyes was easy, so easy that she completely forgot about what else she wanted to tell him.

When he exhaled, warm puffs of air fanned over her lips and she parted them slightly, feeling tension rise in between them. His alluring eyes became hooded, flitting down before he met her gaze and abruptly closed the distance between them. Baëkhyun’s lush lips crashed on hers and then he was kissing her hungrily, overwhelming her with the suddenness of his actions.

Her pulse rose, her pupils dilated; it didn’t matter that she was in hell right now, she felt like she was floating on cloud nine towards heaven. The corners of her mouth quirked up and a happy smile spread over her face. _She had missed him._ She had underestimated just how much she had missed him, so she was surprised by herself when her tears spilled over. Putting her arms around his neck brought her closer to him, and he let himself fall on his back, pulling her down with him. They broke the kiss, but not for long.

Their lips met a second time as she sat on his lower stomach and bowed down to kiss him fervently. He was just as impatient as her, putting his palms on her shoulder blades to push her towards him, pressing their chests together. Fire coursed through her, drove her insane, made her want him more. She was burning and she couldn’t get enough. He was demanding when he kissed her, sneakily biting her lower lip before he slipped his tongue into her mouth.

His hands that had previously been on her back now ran down her sides, leaving a trail of burning heat. He smirked when her body shuddered under his touch, and his growing lust for her made him act impulsively. He turned them over so her back hit the mattress and they switched positions. Breaking their kiss, he let her draw in a deep breath, her chest rising and falling as she stared up at him and met his eyes.

Hesitating, he waited for her to get used to her position, studying her expression closely. “Are you okay, sugar?” he murmured huskily, his eyes clouded with lust, but there was a hint of worry within them. Even after all this time, he hadn’t forgotten about her fear.

“Yes,” she whispered, and that was all the confirmation he needed before he kissed her again, their lips melting together. He kept her hips in between his knees and hovered over her, propping himself up with his elbows so he could hold her hands and linked his fingers with hers. Her heart started to beat faster as soon as he deepened the kiss, fuelling the lust that was building within her. He made her head spin with his irresistible touches and his addictive scent that reminded her of cinnamon.

When her body trembled underneath him, he chuckled throatily. His lips softly pecked the corner of her mouth before he moved lower, down her jugular where she was particularly sensitive. Leaving a wet trail, he placed countless sloppy kisses on her neck and when she least expected it, he lightly bit her.

“A-Ah, what are you doing?” she breathed, barely able to form words. Her thoughts were hazy, her mind unable to focus on anything but the desire within her. The air between them was filled with anticipation when he momentarily raised his head to meet her gaze, stunning her with his gorgeous ruby eyes. His lips were red and swollen, he was breathing heavily. He looked irresistible and it was all she could think of as she watched him.

“Making sure you’re feeling good,” he said and sent her a sultry smirk that reminded her yet again that she was dealing with a demon here; and they tended to be rather good at seducing people. “Do you not like it?” he asked, cocking his head and pretending he didn’t already know the answer.

She squirmed beneath him, feeling flustered and too shy to admit it. “I… maybe I do,” she mumbled, avoiding his roguish grin that revealed his amusement.

“Should I continue then?” he drawled, seeing her eyes flit to his plush red lips longingly.

“You’ve made me wait long enough,” she finally said when her impatience became unbearable.

A devilish smirk spread over his lips before he went back to doing what he was best at, though this time he attacked the other side of her neck where he left a rather conspicuous red mark. Minji wasn’t complaining though. She’d gotten addicted to his touches and couldn’t get enough of them—especially since they had been separated for too long. Baëkhyun apparently did all he could to make up for the lost time.

Just the second he moved towards the swell of her breasts, a strange sound reached his ears. He stopped, thinking he had just imagined it, but then he heard it again.

“What was that?” he said and shot up, glaring at the door cautiously. His eyes narrowed. He was sure he had just heard someone talk and his keen ears usually didn’t fool him. Another strange noise sounded through the house, but this time it was clearly identifiable as Kāi’s cackle and Chën’s loudmouthed nagging.

“They’re back,” Minji said under her breath and rolled her eyes. They could have picked a better time for a visit, but it couldn’t be helped now. She quickly sat up and tried to fix her hair at least a little, knowing that there wasn’t much to save anyway.

Before she could say another word, Baëkhyun got up and left the bed in a hurry, his hands curling into fists after he ripped open the door and stormed into the hallway.

“Baëkhyun, wait!” she called after him and hurried to follow him to the living room, where his friends were assembled.

They were having a conversation that was interrupted when he arrived without warning. His burning hot anger manifested around him as his magic flared. They noticed him immediately, but he exploded before anyone could say a word.

“There you are!” he shouted, his earlier anger coming back with full force. “Why did you bring Minji to hell? Are you _insane_?!”

“Calm down! We’ve kept her safe,” Läy tried to reason with him, but it was a lost cause.

“Shut up! How is that enough?”

“We are more than enough to protect _one_ human,” Suhø cut in impatiently, folding his arms. “Besides, she’s capable of using magic herself. Don’t be so dramatic.”

“Dramatic?! I’m not dramatic!” he shouted back at the red-haired demon, light coating his fists. “ _You_ don’t get to decide what’s best for her!”

Minji arrived at the door and stood behind him, watching him and the others helplessly, unsure how to deal with his anger.

“I think you’re too overprotective of her. Don’t forget that it was _she_ who saved your life,” Kāi said cheekily and grinned when Baëkhyun got even angrier. “You also owe me for bringing your ass here—my help isn’t free, you’re aware of that, right?”

Baëkhyun just grumbled something under his breath, his red eyes staying on Kāi for a moment before they moved back to Suhø.

“Don’t change the damn topic! You shouldn’t have brought her here and that’s a fact!”

Minji decided it was time to step in and clear some things up before he ripped their heads off when they didn’t deserve his anger at all. She walked up to him and stood in front of him, putting her hands on her hips to stare at him strictly.

“Baëkhyun! You can’t be serious!” she scolded him. “Don’t treat your friends like that, they’ve helped us both a lot in the past days. Without them, we would have died, and I expect you to show a little bit of gratitude. Please stop yelling at them.”

“Ah, make sure he knows just how much he owes us,” Xiůmin snickered, prompting her to smile.

“Yeah, the ungrateful idiot never pays us back!” Chën’s whiny voice sounded from behind her.

“Oh really?” she said and glared at Baëkhyun, inwardly feeling amused when he froze under her stare and his jaw dropped.

“No, that’s not true!”

She smiled, taking his hand. “Whatever you say,” she hummed and guided him to a part of the couch that wasn’t occupied by the other demons yet. She got comfortable next to him and looked at their visitors curiously. Everyone was here except for Sehůn who probably had decided it was smarter to stay with Jangmi in the current situation and she could understand that.

A certain green-haired demon was suddenly very interested in Minji’s disheveled state and her flushed cheeks, spotting something on her neck. “Did we interrupt you?” Kāi asked and snickered obnoxiously when he saw Baëkhyun’s gaze darken considerably, a scowl appearing.

“Not at all,” Minji smiled nervously, but she hadn’t counted on the demon’s loudmouthed behavior. He blurted it out before she could stop him.

“You did and I should fry you for that,” Baëkhyun threatened and sent a beam of light towards Kāi who evaded by teleporting a little bit to the left.

“Ruining your fun is the best thing ever!” Kāi admitted shamelessly, making Baëkhyun groan in anger. “You’re still wearing clothes though, so it couldn’t have been _that_ much fun…”

Minji’s face resembled the color of Suhø’s hair. She wanted to melt into the ground when all demons in the room stared at her without hiding their amusement.

“Well, that’s only because you bastards arrived the second I wanted to get rid of her clothes,” Baëkhyun grumbled.

“E-Excuse me? Can you not just… say it so blatantly?” she squeaked.

“Huh? Why not?” he asked and arched an eyebrow. “It’s the truth.”

She hit his arm before hiding her red cheeks behind her hands. Did he not have any manners?

“Next time you have to be faster,” Suhø cut in, smirking knowingly.

“Obviously.”

Minji cursed under her breath and sent Suhø a death glare. “Don’t look at me like that,” he said haughtily. “You’ll thank me soon enough.”

“Water demons are the worst,” she grumbled under her breath, already thinking of a reply, but she was distracted when Baëkhyun put his hand on her thigh, effectively stealing her attention. She raised her head and met his eyes, seeing them sparkle in mirth. Even after all the teasing and taunting, he was having fun with the situation; she couldn’t believe it.

“Calm down, they’re just joking.”

She sighed. “Okay.”

“But I was serious,” he then added cheekily.

She hit his arm again, but he didn’t even feel it, grinning widely. Minji couldn’t stay angry at him for long. She was too relieved to see him awake, alive, and _smiling_. The corners of her lips quirked up and she beamed at him, surprising him with her radiant smile.

“What now?” he asked and raised his eyebrows when she clutched his arm, linking her fingers with his.

“Nothing,” she replied. “Just glad you’re here.”


	29. Home

With the other demons gathered in Baëkhyun’s living room, his house was quite crowded and lively. They had been talking about what had happened with Chängho before Kāi remembered something that he had yet to tell Baëkhyun and Minji.

“Baëkhyun,” Kāi said, gaining his attention. All playfulness was gone from his voice, a scowl appearing instead of his usual haughty smirk. “There’s something you should know.”

“What is it?” Baëkhyun asked hesitantly. He knew that whatever it was about, it was bad when even _Kāi_ deemed it serious enough to be an issue. He was a carefree demon who acted recklessly and took risks, not minding the outcome.

“When Läy and I found you in the forest, you were both unconscious,” he started. “And you were not alone. Someone else was lurking nearby, I sensed it. Whoever it was is very good at hiding their presence, but they couldn’t fool me.”

Cold dread pooled in Baëkhyun’s stomach when he realized how quickly this could have gone out of hand. With both of them unconscious, they would have been easy prey to whoever had been out there. It unsettled and infuriated him. He curled his hands into fists, inwardly cursing himself for being weak _again_. Why did he fail whenever success mattered the most?

“Shit,” he cursed angrily. “I didn’t notice.”

“Of course you didn’t, you were half dead,” Kāi hissed, but received a warning glare from Chanyeøl.

“Kāi,” he snapped. “Shut up.”

“He’s right, Chanyeøl. I was reckless and it could have ended with us both dying,” Baëkhyun replied. “I shouldn’t have used so much of my magic when I fought Chängho, but I wanted to defeat him quickly.” His slumped posture made him look crushed and tired. He pinched the bridge of his nose and heaved a sigh.

“The thing is,” Kāi continued seriously, “I’m sure that it was a creature more sinister than a demon. Their aura was… peculiar.”

“W-What could be more sinister than a _demon_?” Minji asked under her breath, fear creeping into her heart. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to know the answer to that.

The attention of everyone in the room rested on Kāi as he exhaled and crossed his arms. “A blood mage,” he said grimly.

“Are you sure about this, Kāi? I didn’t notice anyone,” Yixing cut in. He had a worried crease in his brow and leaned against the wall not far from Kāi.

“I didn’t imagine it, Läy. Someone was there and they didn’t have good intentions for sure,” the green-haired demon persisted.

“If it really was a blood mage, I would assume that they wanted to kill you for their own gain,” Suhø said coolly, curling his lips in distaste. “They must have smelled easy prey.” 

“Yes, and if Läy and I hadn’t interfered, you and Minji would be dead now,” Kāi snapped at Baëkhyun.

Baëkhyun cursed through clenched teeth, tension rising in his body. He completely ignored Minji when she tried to get his attention by resting her hand on his arm. She knew that he hadn’t taken Kāi’s words well. For whatever reason, they seemed to make him very uneasy.

“Baëkhyun?” Minji whispered unsurely. When he finally raised his head to look at her, she saw severe guilt in his eyes and faltered at the intensity of it. Couldn’t Kāi give him a break after what he went through? She found his behavior unbelievable. Even if someone had been watching them, he could have worded it more nicely, but that probably wasn’t something that the demon was capable of…

“Kāi… just leave him be,” she grumbled and unexpectedly hit him with a beam of light magic. He cursed, holding his aching arm as he glowered at her.

“Fuck, Minji! Since when are you this aggressive? Is the dumbass rubbing off on you?!” he complained, but he also looked mildly impressed since he hadn’t expected her to be able to use magic like this.

“Are you embarrassed because you got caught off guard by a human?” she said sassily and stuck her tongue out at him. “You better behave next time.”

“That’s right, put him in his place,” Chën cackled. Kāi sulked, crossing his arms while glaring daggers at Chën.

“Serves him right,” Minji whispered before she raised her voice, glaring at Kāi. “Leave Baëk alone, he just woke up!” She would make sure that these rowdy demons learned not to mess with her.

“Yeah, yeah. I only wanted to warn you two. Keep your eyes open for possible threats from now on,” Kāi grumbled.

“We will. I doubt that this person followed us here, though. Just… give us a little break, okay?”

Xiůmin chuckled and exchanged a grin with Chanyeøl that said more than a thousand words. “Maybe we should leave them alone for now, what do you think?” Chanyeøl smirked.

“So they can continue where they left off?” Suhø teased and caused Minji’s cheeks to turn bright red.

“That’s what I thought,” Chanyeøl added and watched Minji from twinkling eyes.

* * *

After the demons had left, the house became quieter and Minji used the opportunity to take a closer look at Baëkhyun’s home. She had been curious about this place, thinking she would never get to see it. While he lingered on the sofa and watched her silently, she walked to the large windowpane on the other side of the room.

Laying her palm on the glass, she glanced outside, seeing the rocky landscape of hell for the first time. His house was built on the side of a mountain, so the view from up here was impressive. It overlooked a large plane that appeared deserted safe for a few low-class demons that prowled around. The ground had split open in some places, fire sprouting up towards the pitch-black night sky. It was a sight she couldn’t get used to, but at the same time, it fascinated her and ignited her curiosity. She wished to see it up close and not just from the living room of this house. Not all humans could say that they had visited hell and lived to tell the tale.

Turning back to Baëkhyun, she was met with an entirely different sight than outside. He used his magic to light up the room with a soft golden glow to disperse the prevalent darkness of hell. She smiled at him when she walked up to him, folding her hands.

“Baëkhyun?” she asked and glanced at him with big puppy eyes. He heaved a sigh since he already suspected what she was about to ask. It wasn’t that hard to guess. “Can we go outside?”

He scowled, shaking his head. “Forget it, that’s too dangerous. You shouldn’t even be here in the first place.”

“But your house is safe… and I just want to take a little walk _around_ it,” she pleaded. “I really want to see the place you call home, please!”

She was persistent in her undertaking to change his mind, he had to give her that. Not even his infamous death stare deterred her anymore and that usually made everyone turn tail. He curled his lips in distaste, closing the gap between them with two strides.

“It’s too risky. I can’t just let you walk through hell, especially since you’re still injured,” he said, leaning towards her until their noses were almost touching. His heavy stare still didn’t make her cave in. On the contrary.

“Please, please, please?” she chirped. “Did you know that you’re my favorite demon, Baëkhyun?”

Her sudden confession made him freeze. He straightened up and coughed, a suspicious red hue spreading over his cheeks. “You’re only saying that because you want to go outside,” he mumbled under his breath, avoiding her gaze.

“No, I’m saying it because it’s true! You are the best demon ever,” she continued, inwardly smirking because she could see that she was getting somewhere. He bit his lip and the red spread all the way to his ears.

She giggled at the sight. “Are you blushing?”

“No!” he snapped and sulked.

“I think you are,” she smiled. “Please say yes, Baëk!”

He grumbled something under his breath, but eventually, he gave up. “Fine.”

“Thank you!” she said and hugged him. “You are officially the best demon in hell,” she laughed joyfully. 

“You just never shut up, do you?” he complained surly.

“Oh come on, you were happy I said it! Just admit it, you big bad demon,” she teased, letting go of him to take another good look at his pink cheeks. There was nothing more amusing in this world than an embarrassed and flustered Baëkhyun. She wanted to pinch his cheeks, but then he’d probably explode, so she didn’t.

“We’re leaving now,” she decided and took his hand, glancing at him expectantly.

“Yeah, calm down,” he grumbled, gently holding her hand while he accompanied her to the front door. They left the house and he showed her to a rocky path that wound around the mountain. It was just wide enough that they could walk next to each other. He made use of his magic to illuminate their surroundings to assure she wouldn’t accidentally stumble over something. While Minji was busy looking around in awe, he on the other hand kept an eye on the vicinity to search for possible threats. He didn’t sense any high-class demons nearby, but that didn’t mean they were safe. After what had happened only days ago, he wasn’t too happy about her strolling through hell—the most dangerous place in existence.

Minji stared up at the sky, taking in the endless blackness above her, wondering if it always looked like this. So far, she hadn’t seen any stars, no moon, and no sun. Sometimes, dark clouds obscured it, but they reminded her more of smoke than real clouds. The sight was dreary and she found herself wanting to see the sun as it shone brightly on a warm summer day.

“There is no sun in hell, right?” she asked and glanced at him. “Isn’t it sad to be living like this? Drenched in darkness all the time, with only fire to illuminate the land?”

He stayed quiet for a moment and did not look at her, keeping his eyes fixed on a point far off in the distance. “It doesn’t bother most demons. We are used to this kind of environment. Only very rarely does a demon grow tired of hell,” he replied.

“Oh, I see. Then that means they must want to live on earth like Yixing,” she mused quietly, mulling it over in her head. She asked herself how many demons she had already met in her life, thinking they were human. It could have been more than she had thought since they were good at disguising themselves, especially in front of humans who didn’t even know of their existence.

When he never replied to her, she raised her head to look at him questioningly and saw that he was lost in thoughts, gazing at the sky with a strange expression on his face. A sad frown had appeared, his mouth forming a thin line. The sadness she saw in his blue eyes was the same that she had already seen when he had woken up after his nightmare and she wondered what it meant. What caused him to feel sad all of a sudden? She wasn’t used to him being sorrowful; it was an emotion he normally didn’t display and she wished she knew what he was thinking of so intently.

“Baëkhyun?” Minji asked eventually, prompting him to look at her. For a brief moment, it seemed as if he had forgotten about her. He looked startled, but he quickly hid his surprise and any emotion behind an unreadable expression. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” he replied tersely.

She didn’t know if she should ask him about it, seeing as he didn’t want to talk about it, so she just sighed and decided to let it be for now. “I want to see more of hell,” she said pleadingly. “Please show me around!”

“I’m not a tourist guide and this isn’t a vacation,” he grumbled and took her hand, linking his fingers with hers while he sternly stared at her.

“I know that of course,” she pouted. She let her eyes roam around for a moment until they came to rest on the reddish glow far off in the distance. Flames were spouting towards the sky, originating from a deep pit she couldn’t see clearly since she was too far away. She didn’t know what it was; it didn’t quite look like a volcano, but what else could it be? Glowing embers rose and smoke clouded the area above it. She was fascinated by the sight and wanted to get a better look at it, but Baëkhyun kept her hand in a tight hold and didn’t budge.

“What’s that over there?” she asked and pointed at the flames.

Something in his eyes darkened as a sinister emotion flickered over his face. “Purgatory.”

“O-Oh,” she stuttered. He’d mentioned that place before, and she was aware of how dangerous it was, so she didn’t want to go anywhere near it.

“I’ll show you something better, okay?”

“Okay,” she said with an excited smile. “Are there plants in hell? I haven’t seen any so far… I wonder what kind of flowers would grow here,” she mumbled as she looked around, spotting only a bunch of half-burned trees that were barely clinging to life. They had a hard time surviving in the hot air of hell; and the rocky ground didn’t help either. She glanced at him questioningly, noticing that he stared at her like she was an apparition or a phantom, his eyes reflecting a mix of wonder and pain.

“What’s wrong?” she asked worriedly.

He swallowed and tore his gaze away from her. “Nothing. You just reminded me of someone for a moment,” he replied evasively while he cast his eyes at the vast night sky above them. They were both silent for a few heartbeats, Minji studying his expression with a frown. She wondered who he was talking about as she couldn’t explain why he suddenly looked melancholic. His behavior today was unusual, to say the least.

“Who?” she asked when it became obvious that he wouldn’t elaborate.

He let out a harsh sigh, but he told her despite not being happy about it. “Minā.”

“Who’s that?” Minji asked curiously, never having heard of this name before. This person seemed to be important to him, so she wondered why he never mentioned her. Was she a relative, an old acquaintance, or maybe even his lover?

“She was my girlfriend, but she died long ago,” he answered and Minji stared at him with wide eyes, somehow having trouble imagining him in a serious relationship. This woman must have meant a lot to him; he seemed to be bitter about her death even after so many years and she didn’t like the self-hate that manifested in his gaze. Surely, it hadn’t been his fault that she had died. Minji couldn’t imagine that to be the case since he was extremely clingy and protective. Then again, he might have become like that only after her death.

“She was killed by demon hunters for absolutely no reason other than to spill demon blood. I left her alone for a few minutes and that was all it took. Those filthy humans must have been following us for a while, but I didn’t notice them,” he hissed, curling his hands into fists. Faint light radiated off them, flickering uncontrollably.

Minji was shocked as she had never heard of this before, not from him nor anyone else and suddenly, so many things started to make sense to her. Suddenly, she understood his seemingly irrational hate for humans, a species that was supposedly much weaker than demons. She had suspected that he had to have a reason for it, but never had she imagined something terrible like this… The pain, self-hate, and regret shimmering in his eyes told her all she needed to know about his feelings towards Minā’s death. He felt responsible and he missed her. For a second, she wondered if he was still in love with her, but she willed this thought to vanish, telling herself that now wasn’t the time to be jealous; especially not of someone who had died tragically.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It’s understandable that you would hate humans after that. They had no reason to kill her.”

“I made them pay, but that didn’t bring her back,” Baëkhyun said apathetically, his eyes staring into space. She didn’t like the emptiness within them, feeling a pang in her heart seeing it. Hesitantly, she stepped closer to him and took his hand in between her own, offering comfort. He briefly glanced at her from the corner of his eye before he went back to staring at the faraway flames of purgatory.

“What was Minā like?” she asked, wishing to know more about this mysterious woman. She assumed that speaking about her might help him get a weight off his mind since he was still hurt about her death even though she had been gone for a long time.

“She wasn’t like you would imagine a demon to be, no, she looked like an angel. Her hair was silver-blonde and her eyes were icy blue,” he recounted hollowly. “She was curious about humans and wanted to visit earth no matter what. The day I took her there was the day she died. It was my fault alone.” His voice trembled and he fell silent. Guilt flashed over his face, darkened his eyes.

“After what happened to her, it seemed like a cruel joke to me to end up bonded to you, Minji. Suddenly, I had to make sure you stay alive even though I can’t protect anyone, especially not a fragile human,” he said bitterly. “I left you because I didn’t want to be the cause of your demise too.” The self-hate in his eyes was shockingly different from the arrogant attitude he usually displayed, and she couldn’t take seeing it. Biting her lip, she squeezed his hand tightly.

“It’s understandable that the situation wasn’t easy for you,” she replied. “But I have to disagree with what you said. I think you’ve been doing a great job at protecting me.” Minji smiled and inclined her head. “And honestly, you’re better than any guardian angel. I’ve lost count of how many times you saved my neck so far. You’d be lying to yourself if you really meant what you just said.”

He stared at her in disbelief and didn’t quite know what to say to that since he had to admit that she wasn’t wrong. “But I messed up in the past,” he said apathetically.

“Stop saying that!” Minji snapped. The sharp tone of her voice made him look at her face, his eyes widening a fraction. “You didn’t do anything wrong and I’m sure that Minā would have agreed with me. I never met her, but I’m convinced that she would have wanted you to live a happy life, not be bitter about her death.”

Again, she read disbelief in his eyes. Her words shocked him, and he let out a breath. “Strange,” he uttered. “That’s what she said… before she died.”

He met her eyes, realizing that she seemed surprised. A mix of curiosity and concern swam in her eyes, and he decided to elaborate a bit more.

“You resemble her in some ways,” Baëkhyun said softly. “Even your names sound similar. That’s why at first, I couldn’t even bring myself to use it and called you ‘human’ all the time,” he explained hesitantly. She stared at him with wide eyes, not having expected this to be the reason. In the beginning, she had thought that this habit of his had stemmed from his arrogance, but it seemed that this hadn’t been the case.

“I kept comparing you to her since you two are similar in certain aspects; too clumsy and too kindhearted,” he explained and shook his head before letting out a soft sigh. “However, the more I got to know you, the less you reminded me of her… and then it suddenly wasn’t so hard anymore to call you by your name.”

“You haven’t called me human in a long time,” she said quietly, glancing down at their interlocked hands.

“No. You are Minji and not just a human. Besides, there is no reason to compare you to Minā,” he answered and finally looked at her. “You won’t die like her. I’m going to make sure of it.”

“I trust you on that,” she smiled, relieved that he let go of his pessimistic thoughts. “And one more thing: If you run away from me again, I’m going to be very angry.”

He smiled tentatively, the corners of his lips quirking up. “You don’t need to worry about that. I’m not going anywhere. You’re a hopeless clutz and you attract trouble like a magnet,” he remarked. “I shouldn’t have left you alone for a month… but I didn’t know any better.”

“You should learn from that mistake,” she answered lightheartedly, “Or else you won’t get your beloved strawberry shortcake anymore.”

His genuinely shocked expression made her lose the tension she had felt and she giggled, hiding her grin behind her hand. Her eyes twinkled mirthfully.

“Are you blackmailing me with _cake_?” he sputtered, astounded by her boldness.

“Is it working?”

He snorted and rolled his eyes. “Maybe,” he smirked. “Are you going to make one for me?”

The greedy look on his face amused her to no end, and so she decided to tease him a little bit. “Does my favorite demon want his favorite snack?”

She didn’t get the reaction she expected but a wide smirk that told her he had an ace up his sleeve. Tugging at her hands, he brought her closer to him and glanced at her with entrancing eyes she couldn’t look away from.

“He does,” he drawled and before she understood what he meant, he’d already pressed his lips on hers. Her eyes widened when he cupped her cheeks and pulled her closer, but she quickly responded to the kiss and returned it eagerly. He chuckled, his hands moving from her cheeks to her hair, getting buried in its long black strands.

“You’re a sly demon,” she breathed when they separated. “Should have seen it coming.”

“But you didn’t,” he said smugly and earned himself a nudge.

“Oh, you!” she giggled.

He grinned and raised his chin. The amused glimmer in his eyes proved just how much fun he was having with this. Not that she could blame him… She enjoyed spending time with him after they’d been separated for so long. It relieved her to see his smile return.

“We should head back to earth soon. It’s not wise to stay here,” he said, glaring at a few low-class demons that had dared to approach them, their eerily glowing eyes watching the human woman closely.

“So soon?” she answered and pouted. “That’s a shame. I like your home.”

“I like yours more.”

“R-Really?” she stuttered in bewilderment.

“Yes,” he grinned. “Is that small demon still staying with you?”

“You mean Mochi? Yes.”

“But _I’m_ your favorite demon regardless.”

“Of course,” she giggled. 

“Good,” he drawled. “We should head back right away.”

“So suddenly?” she said and gaped at him. “I… I thought we’d stay here for at least a few hours?”

“Minji, we’ve been over this. It’s too dangerous for you to stay here,” he grumbled and this time, her pouty expression didn’t work on him. He didn’t change his opinion on the matter and didn’t give in either. Releasing some of his demonic magic, he created a portal right in front of them. It looked like a tear in space that led into a black void—to Minji, it appeared terrifying and the idea of stepping through it made her shudder.

When Kāi had brought her to hell, he must have used one of those creepy portals too, but since she had been unconscious, she hadn’t even noticed. Now, however, she was awake and anything but ready to jump into that horrifying _thing_.

“It looks creepy,” she whined and tugged at his sleeve. “I don’t think I can walk through that.”

“Oh sugar, don’t be a chicken. It isn’t bad at all. You won’t feel a thing,” he tried to reassure her but to no avail. She bit her lip and took a step backward, away from the portal. “Don’t you trust me?” he asked and held out his hand to her which she eyed undecidedly.

“I trust _you_ , but not that portal,” she said, hesitating to take his hand.

He rolled his eyes, getting impatient very quickly. “Come on, Minji. We need to get through the portal if we want to leave hell. There is no other way,” he sighed, and then he had an idea. The devious smirk that appeared on his lips didn’t reassure her, and she let out a gasp when he just picked her up and carried her towards the portal.

“B- Baëkhyun! You can’t be serious!” she screeched and hit his chest with her fists, squirming in his hold but he didn’t let her go, staring down at her with amusement swimming in his blue eyes.

“Close your eyes if you’re that scared, sugar,” he smirked, but his smirk soon vanished when she started to tug at his braids. He scowled. “Stop that! How old are you, five?!”

“Let me down!” she nagged. “You evil, malicious demon! How dare you!”

He rolled his eyes at her overdramatic exclamation and stepped through the portal without another word. She flinched and hugged his neck, but she kept her eyes open while they were in the strange dark void. Looking over his shoulder, she saw the bleak scenery of hell through the open portal, but shadows soon obscured it and they were left in a completely dark space.

“I told you to close your eyes, but you never listen to me,” he whispered when he noticed her unease. Only seconds later, another portal opened right before them, and this one led straight to the street in front of her house. He jumped through and landed safely on the asphalt.

“See? It wasn’t so bad,” he said and let her down. She pouted but got flustered when he playfully tousled her hair.

“Of course you would say that,” she mumbled as they walked up to the house, taking the stairs to where her flat was. Punching in the code for her apartment door, she opened it and they entered.

“Welcome home,” she said with a sweet smile and turned on the lights.


	30. The Heart Never Lies

In the first week after Baëkhyun’s return, Minji couldn’t have been happier since her flat no longer was empty and lonely. She grew used to his presence very quickly, and after a few days had passed, they were returning to old habits. Making dinner together and watching movies until she fell asleep snuggled up to him on the sofa became normal. It wasn’t unusual for her to wake up in her bed the next morning, and he most of the time joined her, so the first thing she would see when she came to was his smug grin. While he still sometimes complained about Mochi’s presence, he seemed to tolerate the cat demon and only rarely got a little irritated when it stole her attention.

Baëkhyun had accompanied her to work today and kept her company while she had visited a press conference that she later wrote a news article about. When they returned home in the evening, they ate dinner together and ended up sitting on the sofa. A random show was on tv, but neither of them paid much attention to it.

Baëkhyun had been very fussy over her injuries from the fight with Chängho in the past days, insisting that she change the bandage and put ointment on them every day.

“Minji, you’re not getting away this time,” he grumbled since he knew that she’d forgotten the day before. He’d already fetched everything needed to treat her injuries and was waiting impatiently for her to remove her sweater. She knew that he wouldn’t shut up about it until she’d let him take care of the issue, so she didn’t complain. Besides, she secretly found it endearing how concerned he was for her wellbeing.

“Yeah, okay, I get it,” she replied and slipped her sweater over her head, letting it fall on her lap. It was a little cold like this since she was only wearing a bra underneath, so she hoped he would hurry up. He used scissors to cut the bandage open and removed it carefully, taking a look at the healing wounds beneath. She’d been hurt badly in the fight against Chängho and healed much too slowly in his opinion, reminding him constantly of how delicate humans were.

“Does it still hurt?” he asked while he spread the ointment over the cuts and scrapes.

She kept her eyes on the tv, feeling his cool fingers brush over her skin. “No, it’s much better now than it was before,” she replied. It was strange to her that she had to clarify this. Before they had broken the bond, he’d always known when something had been wrong, but now they didn’t have this kind of connection anymore. It saddened her and made her want the bond back.

However, while she truly wanted to spend her life with him, she was well aware that he’d have a significant weakness if he was bonded to her. If she died, he would die too, and she did not want to burden him with this risk. As long as he didn’t bring the bond up, she wouldn’t either as not to pressure him. She wasn’t that selfish, and she would respect his decision to get rid of it.

He finished wrapping her wounds and secured the end of the bandage so it wouldn’t open. While he packed away the leftover bandage and ointment, she slipped her pink sweater over her body and leaned her back against the sofa. Baëkhyun sat down next to her, returning his attention to the tv screen.

She, on the other hand, kept watching him. The living room was relatively dark, but his white and slightly messy hair stood out regardless, as did his glinting silver chain. He was mesmerizingly handsome, and since he didn’t age, that certainly wouldn’t change anytime soon. His ice-blue eyes caught the flickering light of the tv, glimmering softly.

Minji sighed to herself, getting lost in thoughts. Over the past days, she had continuously been thinking about something important that she had yet to do… She shouldn’t delay it any longer since she didn’t know what the future would bring. Only a few days ago, when he’d been so close to dying, she had regretted not going through with it earlier. She needed to act now, but the thought alone made her nervous.

How should she tell a _demon_ that she was in love with him? Minji felt helpless about this, wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to just blurt it out. Baëkhyun was rather bold when it came to certain things, but she on the other hand was more on the shy side. Her cheeks flushed as she imagined confessing to him. How would he react to that? Would he laugh it off? Tease her? Did he even… love her back? Maybe his heart was still caught up on Minā... It was obvious that she meant a lot to him even after all these years. She must have been a gorgeous and kind woman, and Minji wouldn’t be surprised if she was dull and boring in comparison.

She frowned. The longer she thought about it, the more insecure she became. She hadn’t confessed to anyone in a long time since she had avoided relationships after the disaster with Dongmin. This wasn’t exactly something she had experience with. However, if she didn’t go through with it now, she would only regret it later. _She had to make sure he knew how she felt_ … Taking a deep breath, she made up her mind and pushed her doubts far away.

Her hopeful brown eyes came to rest on Baëkhyun and she reached out her hand to him, parting her lips to speak, but no words would come out of her mouth. What should she say? What should she _do_? Panicking, she retracted her hand and bit her lip.

“Is something wrong?” his velvety voice asked, making her flinch. He’d caught her unprepared, so she didn’t know what to say. Blue eyes looked her over suspiciously, moving from her folded hands to her face and taking in her flabbergasted expression.

“Minji?” he asked, sounding a tad worried.

“N-Nothing is wrong,” she laughed awkwardly. “I… uh… just wanted to ask if you… want something to drink? Because I was… about to head to the kitchen.” To prove her point, she got up. His eyes followed her every move, revealing his rising suspicion.

“I’m not thirsty,” he replied and stared after her as she walked to the kitchen. “Is that really what you wanted to tell me, though?”

She froze and her shoulders tensed when she heard him get up from the sofa to follow her. Swallowing, she turned around to come face to face with him, raising her chin to meet his eyes. They narrowed as he gazed at her searchingly. It was as if he could see right through her even though she hadn’t said anything yet. Her heart palpitated nervously in her chest, a red hue spreading over her cheeks.

“No, that’s not quite it,” she whispered, deciding to go through with it now while hoping that it wouldn’t make things awkward between them. If he didn’t return her feelings, that was bound to happen…

“Baëkhyun, I… I need to tell you something important,” she began and kept her gaze locked with his. Her fingers restlessly curled around the edges of her sleeves.

“I’m getting impatient, sugar,” he said huskily, leaning closer and flustering her more. She drew in a deep breath, his proximity making her head spin. Suddenly, it was much harder to concentrate.

Wetting her lips, she braced herself. “I’m sorry, it’s just that I don’t know how to say this,” she answered. “And I… I’m worried about what your answer will be…”

He sighed, twirling a lock of her long black hair around his finger. “You look nervous. Relax, there is nothing to be worried about.”

Maybe it was the softness of his voice or the warmth that sparked in his eyes. Maybe she had some sort of epiphany, but right at that moment, she found the words she needed to say.

“Baëkhyun, I’m in love with you,” she confessed without prior warning. Her hopeful eyes took in his reaction, widening a bit when his expression went from impatient to disbelieving. For a few long and tedious seconds, he didn’t say anything and just stared at her. He was frozen like an ice sculpture, making her fear of rejection grow. It had been so long since she’d been genuinely in love with someone. _Perhaps she shouldn’t have said anything after all…?_

“E-Even if you don’t return my feelings, I want you to know that you are very dear to me,” she added shyly.

She kept looking into his gorgeous eyes, and the moment he got over his surprise, something in them changed. They darkened a fraction, brimming with want and longing. Lust dyed his blue eyes ruby red within seconds. She had always been fascinated by the enthralling play of colors of his iris, its vibrancy taking her breath away.

Baëkhyun didn’t give her a verbal answer, but let his actions speak for themselves. He claimed her lips and kissed her roughly, cupping her cheeks with his hands. She gripped the front of his black hoodie for support when they stumbled backward without breaking their heated kiss. Minji almost lost her balance until he pressed her against the wall. She drew in a breath when he briefly stopped attacking her lips, moving a tad lower to the neckline of her sweater where his hot breath ghosted over her skin. Quivering, her fingers clenched around the soft material of his hoodie.

“I want you,” he purred and kissed her neck sensually. “I want you.” He went on to her jawline where he planted a few lingering kisses. _“I want you.”_ He found her lips, licking, and nipping at them as he usually liked to do, but today, his actions were mixed with urgency and hastiness. He kissed her until she couldn’t think straight anymore, the desire within her consuming her like a storm. She melted into his touches, letting him lead the kiss.

He pressed her hands against the wall, his fingers interlacing with hers. A low chuckle reached her ears when she couldn’t hold in a moan, kissing him back fervently. She had missed him so much—she was clinging to him like he was her lifeline and let him complete her. The hole in her heart wasn’t there anymore; it had been mended, the wound healed.

She met his burning ruby eyes that seemed to glow, getting hypnotized by the intensity of his gaze. Without warning, he shoved his thigh in between her legs, pinning her to the wall with his body. Her chest pressed up against his, allowing her to feel every breath he took. He deepened the kiss, and she tasted his raw desire on her tongue, reading greed in his eyes.

Minji had weak knees by the time he was satisfied and let her take a few breaths. Letting go of her hands, he cupped her reddened cheeks and leaned his forehead against hers, taking in her half-lidded eyes, her swollen lips.

“Please be mine,” he murmured huskily, the seductive tint in his voice making her swallow. Her eyes grew wide in realization and suddenly, the loud pounding of her heart was all she heard.

“W-What?” she managed to stutter, believing that she was dreaming.

“Minji,” he said seriously, “I want to make a new bond with you.”

Her heart skipped a beat before its thumps became faster, nervous. This had to be a dream. It was all she wished for, all she had been thinking about for weeks and it was too good to be true. She would have never expected him to bring it up himself.

“It was a mistake to break the bond and I regret it,” he murmured, leaning in so their noses were almost touching, his breath fanning over the sensitive skin of her lips. She became hyperaware of his finger pads caressing her cheeks tenderly, felt his toned stomach on hers as she was trapped between him and the wall.

“Why?”

“Because I want you all to myself,” he drawled, biting his lip when strong desire manifested in his ruby eyes.

Taking a shaky breath, she parted her lips, her anticipation making her excited. “I… I want to be bonded to you again,” she whispered, desperately tugging at the end of his silver chain. “Please, I—”

Minji couldn’t finish her sentence because he crashed his lips on hers. She swore she heard a growl rumbling in his throat as he kissed her demandingly. Her arms snaked around his neck, pulling him in. He made her lose her mind, stealing every coherent thought that she’d had left. Her mind was hazy, her gaze hooded when she met his entrancing eyes.

Part of her still couldn’t believe that he wanted the bond back and that he was willing to take the risk just for her. He loved her more than she had imagined and the thought made her overflow with joy. She smiled into the kiss, tangling her hands in his soft white hair.

Only when they broke the kiss and gazed at each other in anticipating silence, she found her voice. “Can you do it?” she asked breathlessly, her impatience and eagerness plain to see. “Or do we need to ask a witch?”

“No, I’ll do it myself this time,” he replied, “But I’m afraid it’s going to hurt for a while since this kind of spell is difficult to handle.”

“Last time wasn’t exactly pleasant either. I know what I’m in for,” she said and shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. Do it.”

He took a step back. The sudden lack of his proximity left her a little disappointed, but she didn’t get to dwell on it for long. Hastily, he took her wrist and pulled her after him into her room. His actions were filled with urgency as he guided her to the bed. 

“Sit down and get comfortable,” he said.

Now her knees felt weak for a different reason, that being anxiousness. Part of her wondered if this would go well or not, and how long it would take. She wasn’t particularly keen on going through the pain one more time, but she would endure it because she knew that it would be worth it in the end.

She sat in the middle of the mattress and he kneeled in front of her, looking her over once more.

“Are you… really okay with doing this?” Minji asked.

“Yes. It’s going to be fine,” he replied convincedly. “A bond forged with demon magic is different than one made by a witch, but not in a negative sense.”

“What do you mean?” she asked and leaned closer; her interest piqued.

A grin appeared on his lips. “It’s stronger. We’re going to sense each other’s emotions through the bond, no matter whether they are positive or negative. A witch’s bond doesn’t allow for this to happen.”

She was surprised to hear this but didn’t mind it at all. “Oh, I see,” she replied, feeling impatience mix with her unease. She wanted to get it done now and not wait any longer. “Do it then. Don’t make me wait.”

He stayed silent and sat in front of her on the bed, taking her left wrist in a careful hold. His elegant fingers brushed over her skin, and suddenly, they began glowing brightly, casting her wrist in burning white light. Instantly, hot agony shot up her arm, causing her to gasp. She felt it creeping through her entire body until it reached her heart where the pain became unbearable.

Gritting her teeth hard, she fought to keep her composure as not to worry him, but she didn’t manage for long. His demonic magic ate through her, burning her blood and slowly taking away her consciousness. When black spots began to cloud her vision, she slumped forward. He caught her and embraced her body so she was nestled safely into his chest. His hand held on to her wrist as a new mark formed on her skin, gleaming brightly.

“It’s going to be over soon. Just a little longer,” he whispered soothingly into her ear. “I’m sorry.”

It was the last she heard before her body gave in and she lost consciousness.

All of a sudden, her bedroom was gone and she was surrounded by _nothingness._ There was no ground and no sky, no beginning, and no end. Swirling shadows enveloped her body as she floated in their midst, and when they faded, a mirror appeared right in front of her. She couldn’t explain where it came from and why it was here.

Minji looked at it in confusion, seeing her own body, but the next time she blinked, the reflection suddenly changed. She was no longer looking at herself, but at someone else. The woman in the mirror was beautiful like a doll—perfect in every sense. Wavy silver-blonde hair framed her heart-shaped face. Her pale lips were curled into a soft smile that conveyed a sense of warmth and friendliness. She had ivory skin and looked unnaturally pale. The Arctic blue of her iris was too vibrant; she couldn’t possibly be human.

Minji was unable to move, hypnotized by the woman in the mirror. Her pale lips parted, forming soundless words. _Thank you_ , she said silently, her smile becoming melancholic. When Minji blinked once more, the woman was gone and she stared at her own reflection.

“W-What was that?” she whispered, peering into the mirror, waiting for the strange image to come back. But no matter how long she stared, the mirage didn’t return. Had she only imagined it? But how would her mind come up with such a clear image of a stranger? It had to have been real, but Minji didn’t understand why and how it had happened. Feeling dizzy all of a sudden, she stumbled away from the mirror. “Who is she?” Minji mumbled, trying to come up with an answer, but there was none. Could she have been a witch? A demon?

Unbeknownst to her, it would be the first and last time she would ever lay eyes on the woman and soon, she would forget about their mysterious encounter, her mind growing hazy as she was swallowed by darkness once more. She fell.

This time, however, she didn’t drown in the all-encompassing blackness but instead resurfaced. Her eyelids fluttered, noting a bright source of light that drew her attention. She opened her eyes.

Gleaming white light greeted her, originating from a familiar star-shaped crest on her wrist. She was wide awake in a second, staring at it in astonishment as if it was the most beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes on. She smiled, overwhelmed by relief and joy. Tears gathered in her eyes and ran down her face. It was finally back! _The spell had worked._ She still was tired, her limbs numb, but the pain was gone and she felt better than before. Especially with the knowledge in mind that she shared a bond with him now.

Her tears didn’t stay unnoticed for long as Baëkhyun realized that she had woken up. He’d been leaning his back against the headboard of the bed, embracing her body from behind. He caught a tear with his finger, brushing it away.

“Why are you crying, sugar?” he asked softly. “You’re not hurting, are you?”

“No, I’m just… really happy,” she sniffled and smiled. “And besides, you’d notice if I was in pain.”

“You’ve got a point,” he chuckled, nuzzling her hair affectionately. Her smile brightened and she turned in his embrace, facing him. The endless blue of his eyes was filled with warmth, a comforting sight that she could never get enough of. She inclined her head, softly pecking his lips.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I love you.”

His sinful red lips formed a smirk. “I know,” he drawled. He held her wrist carefully and guided it to his lips, planting a kiss on it without breaking eye contact. A hint of red became visible in his iris. “Now you’re mine,” he murmured.

* * *

The next morning, Minji woke up with a smile on her face, her body cuddled up to his toned chest. He’d pulled the covers over her, so it was warm and cozy in bed.

“Good morning,” she mumbled tiredly and yawned.

“You’re up,” he commented, tilting his head. “Finally.”

“We’re you bored?” she teased, playing with one of his white braids that dangled in front of her.

“Somewhat, though it’s entertaining to watch you sleep, sugar.”

She snorted and nudged his arm. “You are unbelievable. Let’s get up, I need to be at work in an hour.”

Before she could even move, he’d already ensnared her waist in his arms and hugged her close to him. She was trapped. “No, you’re not leaving,” he said stubbornly, earning himself a sigh.

“It’s not like I _want_ to leave, but I have a job to take care of and Yixing will be disappointed if I don’t show up,” she explained, taking another look at the clock on her nightstand.

“Fuck him, just stay here,” he persisted and held on tightly to her body.

“You’re so rude! Isn’t he your friend?” she replied. “I wonder how he puts up with people like you and Kāi all the time.”

“I’m special, he should be grateful that I’m friends with him,” Baëkhyun said and arrogantly raised his chin, prompting her to roll her eyes at him.

“Oh, I should have known you would say that,” she giggled. “Yes, you are special, but don’t get cocky over it.”

She realized that she shouldn’t have said that out loud as soon as his smirk widened. He was oozing arrogance and confidence at this point. Opting to change the topic, she tugged at his chain impatiently. “Come on, we’ve got to get up now. Let me go.”

“If you keep tugging, you’re not leaving this bed anytime soon.” She blushed when his heated stare hit her. Biting her lip she let go of the chain and avoided his gaze before she lost the last bits of her resolve. This man was driving her mad—and she knew that he was well aware of how irresistible he was.

“F-Fine, I’ll stop. Will you let me get up now?” she asked and stared at him expectantly until he sighed and loosened his embrace so she could leave.

“I’ll take a quick shower and then we can have breakfast,” she said while she fetched fresh clothes from her wardrobe. He was already opening his mouth to say something, but she was faster. “Don’t even think about it, you pervert. You’re not joining me or else I’ll be late for work. And if you pick the lock, you’ll be in trouble!”

He cursed under his breath and sulked. “You’re missing out! We could have had a lot of fun,” he called after her when she left the room, blushing furiously. She was inwardly glad that he couldn’t teleport like a certain other demon. He would have just appeared in the middle of the bathroom as soon as the shower was running.

Nearly an hour later, she and Baëkhyun had reached her workplace, leaving the lift to walk to Yixing’s office. Even though she had hurried, they were slightly late now. She knocked on the door before she entered with the demon in tow.

“Good morning, Yixing,” she greeted him. He sat at his desk and typed something on his computer, but his green eyes moved to her when she entered and immediately zeroed in on the mark on her wrist.

“Morning, you two,” he snorted. “You’re late, but I guess you must have been busy. You’re not missing out on anything, huh?” Yixing smirked at Baëkhyun. “Didn’t think you would make a new bond so fast. Got impatient?”

Baëkhyun grumbled something under his breath and crossed his arms, shooting death glares at him. “Shut up,” he hissed surly. “That’s none of your business.”

“You’re not denying it,” Yixing countered amusedly, leaning back in his chair. “Cute.”

The lamps above their heads flickered ominously as Baëkhyun’s fuse shortened. He was about to explode, she could see that. “Don’t argue, you two,” she chimed in and folded her arms. “Do you have a new job for me, Yixing?”

The black-haired demon nodded, smiling at her. “Yes, but first of all, congrats on your new bond! I knew you’d make another one eventually,” he said cheerfully before he sent Baëkhyun a glower. “And you better not break it this time!”

Baëkhyun grimaced, clenching his fists in agitation. “That’s not going to happen anymore,” he replied.

“Good,” Yixing said and returned his gaze to Minji. “I arranged a meet up with a popular K-pop star and I need someone to do an interview! Since you did such a great job last time when you interviewed Jackson Wang, I decided to give this task to you.”

Her eyes brightened and she leaned against his desk excitedly, putting her palms on its surface. “Thank you! Thank you so much!” she gushed. “Who is it? Do I know them?”

Yixing chuckled. “Well, everybody knows him, I guess. It’s Park Jisung.”

“O-Oh, he’s famous,” she stuttered, slowly growing nervous. “Then this interview is going to be very important for us.”

“Think you can do it?” Yixing grinned.

“Yes!”

“Good! Let me write down the time and place of your meeting,” he said. “It’s next week.”

“Already?” she said, her eyes growing bigger. “Then I should prepare soon.”

“Why do you always have to set her up with men, huh?” Baëkhyun cut in annoyedly.

“I’m not setting her up, she’s just doing an interview,” Yixing sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “What could possibly go wrong?”

* * *

“Why are you so grumpy?” she asked, shooting Baëkhyun a look. He was sitting opposite her at the kitchen table and stared at her with deep ruby eyes while she did research for the interview. She needed to prepare questions beforehand that the fans would want to know about, and since she took her work very seriously, she’d been stuck behind her laptop for hours already.

A fact that greatly irked a certain demon who craved her attention.

“Because you’re terribly interested in this Park person,” he hissed. Suddenly, she sensed a foreign emotion within herself—a kind of sizzling anger she wasn’t familiar with. It wasn’t _her_ anger, but someone else’s. Her astonished gaze wandered from the mark on her wrist to Baëkhyun. It seemed that the bond’s magic was working quite well. She hadn’t expected it to grow strong so soon, but then again, he himself had told her that it was different from a witch’s bond.

Not wanting him to be unhappy, she sighed and closed her laptop. “I’m only doing my job,” she said. She got up and walked behind him, hugging his sitting form from behind and burying her nose in his hair. “Don’t be angry,” she told him as she kissed the crown of his hair. “I want you to be happy.”

He got up and looked at her with raised eyebrows. “Do you really?”

“Yes, of course,” she replied.

“Then prove it,” he smirked. With his dark gaze focusing on her lips, he left no doubts as to what he was thinking of.

“I wonder what makes my demon happy,” she mumbled innocently, inwardly cackling when he pulled a face. “What could it be?” The rising impatience of his was very clear to see and it amused her to no end.

“You’re in trouble now, sugar,” he muttered and pulled her in abruptly so she collided with his chest. When she gazed up at him with wide eyes he used the opportunity to kiss her. He was a tad rougher than usual, cornering her against the kitchen counter where he trapped her with his arms left and right of her body. She was stunned by his boldness and couldn’t even react since his velvety kisses were drawing all her attention. He pressed his body up against hers, making her feel the taut muscles of his abs. Then, he suddenly pushed her backward so she lay on the wooden surface of the kitchen counter.

His eyes were scarlet, filled with unadulterated need and a hunger that had the desire within her reawaken. Just like last night, she was overwhelmed by her feelings for him, and with the bond connecting them, they only burned brighter, blending with his.

Running his tongue over her lips, tracing their outline with the tip of his tongue, he slowly made her lose her mind. She dug her nails into his back, educing a low growl from him. He retaliated by deepening their kiss and shoving their hips together.

“Can’t have you ignoring me over some random K-pop idol,” he murmured huskily when he broke the kiss for a moment, piercing her with his ruby eyes. If he reacted like _this_ when he got jealous, then maybe she should make him jealous more often… She’d keep the thought in mind, admitting that he looked devilishly handsome with his flushed lips and heaving chest.

Grinning cheekily, she said, “But I already chose you.”

“And I’m not sharing you with anyone,” he replied raucously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! ❤️
> 
> So now we've reached the chapter every reader has probably been waiting for ever since they broke the bond! They're back together now, and this time finally a couple. :3 I wanted to make this chapter very fluffy, but it got spicier than I had planned. LMAO oopsie.
> 
> ❤️ Jessie
> 
> PS. How about we send them on a date next chapter? Sound good? 😆


	31. Delight

The next evening, the doorbell was ringing, surprising Minji who had just finished washing the dishes after dinner. Mochi had been observing her curiously, and when the small demon heard the noise, it shot off towards the front door with lightning speed. She followed it amusedly and opened the front door to discover Sehůn and Jangmi who were smiling mischievously.

“Good evening,” Jangmi chirped and pulled the stunned Minji into a hug before Sehůn did the same.

“H-Hello,” she replied surprisedly. “Please come in! It’s been a while since we’ve met. May I ask why you’re here?”

As they walked through the hallway to the kitchen, Jangmi answered, “We’ve heard _interesting_ news from Läy, and we came to congratulate you two.”

They reached the kitchen the second Baëkhyun arrived and joined them. “What a surprise to see you here,” he said and leaned against the kitchen counter, folding his arms.

“Are you being sarcastic?” Sehůn mocked, staring him down with his eerie piercing eyes. His red scar always made him look a bit like a daredevil, Minji thought. “Jangmi insisted we should visit after she heard that you guys got bonded again.”

“Läy is such a damn gossip,” Baëkhyun nagged. “Doesn’t know how to shut up.”

“You can bet on it that the others will come by soon too,” Sehůn smirked. “I’m sure he’s told everyone already how whipped you are.”

“Speak for yourself,” Baëkhyun countered, his eyes glinting evilly. “Don’t act like you’re _not_ bonded.”

Jangmi and Minji exchanged an amused glance, holding in their giggles. “You two are bickering like an old couple,” Jangmi commented. Their heads snapped around at the same time and they stared at her in disbelief.

“What?!” Sehůn sputtered.

“No, eww!”

“That was not necessary, Jangmi!” Sehůn nagged and put his hands on his hips. A gust of wind swept through the kitchen, ruffling his hair.

“I was just stating my thoughts,” she grinned. “You have an interesting friendship.”

“Who said we were friends?” Baëkhyun huffed.

“Oh come on, you’re close and you can’t deny it,” Minji teased much to his chagrin.

“Shut it!”

“I have no idea how you put up with this rude ass all the time,” Jangmi whispered to her, amusement plain to see in her eyes.

“Hey! I heard that!” he promptly yelled, already fuming again. Minji grinned at his antics.

“That’s a mystery. He hasn’t even invited me on a date yet even though we’re officially a couple now! The audacity!” she complained and shot him a very dark and pointed stare that made him flinch. His eyes widened a fraction, the spooked expression on his face amusing Sehůn to no end.

Jangmi gasped dramatically and hid her open mouth behind her hand. “What? He hasn’t? Unbelievable! Sehůn is much more attentive, we always go on dates together,” she said slyly and winked at Minji.

“See, I’m better than you!” Sehůn mocked, hugging Jangmi from behind. “Can’t beat me.”

His ego hurt, Baëkhyun grimaced. “Shut up, you idiot! I’m going to prove to you that _I’m_ better!” he yelled.

“Why is he getting so competitive over it?” Jangmi whispered to Minji who had a hard time holding in her laughter. He could be somewhat easy to manipulate when his ego got in the way—not that she would ever tell him that. It was too entertaining to watch him making a fuss over something insignificant.

“No, I’m better!” Sehůn retorted stubbornly. “You’re as romantic as a stick and dates with you must suck!”

“No, they don’t!”

“Yes, they do!”

“Guys, stop it!” Minji cut in. “That’s enough now. I’m sure that Baëkhyun is more romantic than a _stick_.”

He huffed and sulked. “You’re making it sound worse!”

“We should go on a double date soon, now that you’re bonded again,” Jangmi smiled excitedly.

“Sounds good to me. What do you think, Baëkhyun? Are you in?” Minji asked.

“Of course!”

“Mission accomplished,” Jangmi breathed, exchanging a mischievous glance with Sehůn who was smirking widely.

* * *

They agreed to meet up the following Saturday at the local amusement park. Minji had been looking forward to it all week since she hadn’t been in a park for years and she wanted to visit one together with Baëkhyun.

When she sleepily trudged out of their bedroom early in the morning, she spotted Baëkhyun in the kitchen, turning on the coffee machine. He was dressed for the day already—and what he wore made her freeze in her spot. Her jaw practically hit the floor when she saw him. His jacket was of a daring ruby red color, and the black belt he wore on top of it emphasized his slim waist. And as if that wasn’t enough already, its open neck let her get a good glimpse of his toned chest.

_Why did he have to be so damn attractive?_ She inwardly asked herself how her poor heart would survive the day with him looking like _this_. The sly little shit must have picked this outfit on purpose.

Before he noticed her, she quickly hurried on to the bathroom to take a shower and get dressed. Because it was fall and the weather was quite cold, she put on a warm sweater and skinny jeans before braiding her long black hair and letting it fall over her shoulder. Since today was their first official date as a couple, she applied make-up for good measure, emphasizing her warm brown eyes with mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow, as well as painting her lips a pretty pink.

She took a deep breath and headed to the kitchen, pleasantly surprised to see that he had finished preparing breakfast while she had been gone. Flabbergasted, she stood frozen in the doorway and just stared until he noticed her.

“What?” he asked her and inclined his head. “You look like you saw a ghost.”

She coughed, clearing her throat. “Um… I was just surprised that you made breakfast,” she explained.

“Oh,” he replied before his expression turned cocky. A teasing gleam lit up his blue eyes. “Didn’t you want a _romantic_ date? I thought we should start early.”

Flushing and slightly overwhelmed by the demon’s boldness, Minji fidgeted with her hands. She was flattered and impressed since he normally was anything but a gentleman, though it seemed like Sehůn’s taunts had made him change his mind a bit.

“Thank you,” she said and sat down, picking some of the freshly made pancakes for herself. They were still warm and tasted heavenly. He was good at cooking, and she was always happy to try his dishes.

Resting his chin on his hand, he watched her eat with a satisfied grin. “Is it good?”

“Yes,” she answered. “You should do this more often!”

“If you beg for it,” he smirked and winked.

“You wish.”

He shrugged. “It was worth a try.”

“I take it back, you’re not a gentleman,” she mumbled under her breath, but he heard her anyway.

“What are you talking about? I never said I was.”

“Forget it.”

* * *

They met Jangmi and Sehůn at the entrance to the amusement park. The couple was in a great mood and looking forward to the rollercoasters and other attractions that the park had to offer.

“Hello, you two!” Minji smiled. “Have you been waiting long?”

“No, we just arrived,” Jangmi answered. “Let’s go inside!”

They paid at the entrance and walked into the park that was already filled with people of all ages, wanting to spend the day here. It was loud and colorful, the smell of sweet candy hanging in the air since various food stalls were nearby. Rollercoasters rose over the other buildings, and the excited screams of people reached her ears. Minji was beaming, knowing already that this would be a great day.

She linked her hand with Baëkhyun’s who looked slightly less convinced and shot annoyed glances towards the many humans around him. Whenever one of them got too close, he would scowl and literally make them back off with only his glower. Minji’s lips twitched in amusement seeing that. It seemed like she was the only human he didn’t mind being close to.

“Baëkhyun, today is supposed to be fun, you should smile!” she suggested.

“Yeah, I get it.”

“I told you that dates with him suck,” Sehůn chimed in. “He is just a grumpy demon after all.”

“Sehůn, you better shut up,” Baëkhyun retorted and icily glared at him.

“I swear, they are like fire and water,” Jangmi whispered to Minji who grinned in response.

“It’s true—they just can’t stop bickering.”

“Want to choose one of the rides now?” Jangmi asked and Minji nodded, letting her eyes move over the attractions nearby. Her gaze got stuck on the haunted house that was nestled in between a colorful candy shop and a ride for children. It stuck out since it was entirely black, with cracked windows and a creepy ghost hovering over the doors.

“The haunted house looks interesting,” she said.

“Alright, then we’re doing that first,” Jangmi smirked. “Sehůn, Baëkhyun, are you coming?”

The two demons got distracted from their argument and glanced at the women, wondering what was going on.

Jangmi smiled. “Come with us, please! We want to visit the haunted house over there.”

They stopped arguing altogether and decided to accompany their girlfriends instead. As they walked towards the eerily decorated building, Baëkhyun snorted. “Are you kidding, Minji? You want to go in there? That looks so lame.”

“No, it’s going to be thrilling,” she replied poutily. “Just you wait!”

He sighed but didn’t complain anymore, following her inside. Sehůn and Jangmi went in first, while Baëkhyun and Minji had to wait for a few minutes in which Baëkhyun kept sneering at the overdramatic decoration in the haunted house. It was filled with puppets that were designed to resemble vampires, demons, zombies, and even witches, but of course, they looked ridiculous to him.

When they were allowed to enter, Minji excitedly walked ahead and glanced around curiously. They were in a dim hallway with old paintings hanging on the walls—and she got a little scared when she noticed that the eyes of the people depicted on them were actually moving. Other than her, Baëkhyun didn’t grace them with his attention, shoving his hands in his pockets in boredom and following her like a silent shadow.

At the end of the hallway, they reached a room with a creepy ghoul murder scene, fake blood bathing the puppets standing in the darkness. The light barely reached them and made them look frightening to her.

“Ridiculous,” Baëkhyun said and rolled his eyes. “ _Everybody_ knows that ghouls don’t look like that. In fact, they don’t even like to eat human brain. This is bullshit.”

She awkwardly cleared her throat and shuddered. “T-Thank you for clarifying,” she stuttered. “But I did _not_ want to know that.”

He chuckled seeing her freaked-out expression and they walked on to the next room. Minji got a huge scare when a skeleton suddenly fell from the ceiling right in front of her. She quickly hid behind his back and peered over his shoulder at the thing.

“Minji, are you serious right now? This is made of plastic,” he nagged. “They could have at least used real ones. That would have been funnier.”

She opened her mouth and closed it again, speechless at what he just said. “F-Funny?” she stuttered. “This isn’t even supposed to be funny, you weirdo! And why would a real skeleton ever be funny?”

“You don’t get it,” he sighed and shook his head.

“No, I don’t.”

Baëkhyun took her hand and tugged her after him. “Come on, this is boring, I want to do something else.” They walked through the rest of the haunted house with quick steps. He didn’t flinch at any of the scares, didn’t care about the frightening ghosts that appeared in mirrors, didn’t even care about the creepy hands that reached out to their ankles. However, his boredom faded when he observed Minji who got scared too easily and he ended up laughing quietly.

“I can’t believe you’re terrified of plastic dolls when you’ve fought demons before,” he commented as they left the haunted house. She heaved a sigh of relief.

“S-Sorry! But I just can’t deal with jump scares!”

“There you are!” Jangmi called. She’d been waiting with Sehůn near the exit. “Did you like it?”

“Not really,” Minji grimaced, prompting Sehůn to laugh. She glanced around for a moment, her eyes noting the candy shop right next to the haunted house. “How about we have a snack now?”

“But we only just arrived,” Jangmi said and Sehůn nodded in agreement.

“How are you hungry already?” Baëkhyun asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Fine, if you don’t want anything, I’ll go buy something for myself instead,” she shrugged and entered the shop.

When she came back a few minutes later, she was equipped with fluffy white cotton candy. Minji munched on it, noticing the weird glances Baëkhyun was throwing her and her snack.

“What is that? Looks hella fluffy and disgusting,” he grumbled. “Like a fucking cloud on a stick.”

“It’s cotton candy, a heavenly delight,” she grinned and held it out to him. “Wanna try?”

“Eww, no!” he yelled and glared. “Never.”

She was sure he would like it, so she took some of the cotton candy and held it right in front of his face. “Open your pretty mouth,” she said teasingly and earned herself a disgusted stare.

“No.”

“Open up, please,” she repeated persistently, and when he didn’t move, she just shoved it at his mouth so he had no other choice but to eat it if he didn’t want to have it glued over his lips. He cursed and grumbled while he chewed, and to her amusement, he seemed to like it just as she had thought. Her demon had a sweet tooth, whether he liked to admit it or not.

“It’s good, right?” she asked and beamed at him, noticing a faint blush on his cheeks while he avoided her prying eyes. “You’re blushing, aww!”

“Minji!” he hissed. “I am not blushing! How often do I need to tell you?!”

She didn’t answer him and smiled to herself, finding him adorable. Annoying him was too much fun and she just couldn’t stop herself, especially when she knew he would get flustered over it. He obviously wasn’t used to receiving this kind of affection openly. It wasn’t common among demons, but that certainly didn’t mean she would stop.

“Do you want another?” she asked, waving another piece of the fluffy snack in front of his face. He didn’t answer, but she knew that wanted it judging by the glare he sent her. “Open your mouth,” she chirped.

He held in a curse, but he complied, and she stuffed the cotton candy in his mouth. She giggled when she noticed the embarrassed red hue of his ears, taking a bite of the sweet snack herself.

“Stop laughing, damn it!” he cursed.

“I can’t help it,” she replied cheerfully. “Do all demons love sweets the way you do? Maybe I should have bought strawberry flavored cotton candy...”

“There is strawberry flavor?” he sputtered before he caught himself. “I mean… that sounds _interesting_.”

“Mhm, very interesting,” she replied playfully and nudged him.

“Look at them flirting, so cute,” Jangmi whispered to Sehůn who had observed the peculiar scene with a sneer, already making a plan to tell Kāi about it. He’d have the time of his life annoying Baëkhyun over it, and Sehůn could not wait to see that.

“Very cute, yes,” Sehůn snorted. “He’s such an idiot, I can’t believe it.”

“It’s so obvious he’s in love,” she giggled. “But he shows it in a different way than you.” She winked at him, prompting him to awkwardly clear his throat.

“Well, um… I guess.”

“Are you embarrassed?” Jangmi laughed. “Don’t be. You know I love you.”

“Yeah, I know,” Sehůn grinned, playfully ruffling her hair. “Where do you want to go next? I think we should leave those two alone for a while.”

“How about the house of mirrors?” she suggested. “It’s over there!”

He nodded and Jangmi briefly told her two friends where they would go. They barely even looked at her, too busy with each other. She held in a giggle, took Sehůn’s hand, and then they walked off, getting lost in the crowd of people.

Minji shared the rest of her cotton candy with Baëkhyun before they decided where they wanted to go next. She had been excited to try the huge rollercoaster and pulled him along with her towards the ride. Since it was filled with screaming humans, Baëkhyun was anything but happy, but seeing her bright smile, he held in his complaints.

“It’s going to be so much fun, I know it!” she gushed. “You’ll love it!”

He smirked. “Yeah, maybe.”

However, as they made their way through the crowd, she became aware of something and it dimmed her good mood. Her rather attractive boyfriend received a lot of attention, most of it coming from other women who shamelessly stared at him, completely ignoring her presence. Of course, his daring outfit would draw in looks, not to mention the delicate chain he always wore, but that it would be this bad wasn’t something Minji had expected. A feeling of frustration built in her chest and she glared at the next woman who dared to wink at him.

This wasn’t how she had expected their first date to go. Not at all.

It only got worse when they stood in line for the rollercoaster, and slowly, her anger was rising. How dare they just dismiss her when he clearly was taken! Why did they openly flirt with him? He blatantly ignored them all, but Minji was still angry about the whole thing.

“Something wrong?” he asked and arched his eyebrow, sensing her jumbled emotions through their bond.

“N-No, everything’s fine,” she replied and avoided his gaze. Reining in her emotions, she made sure to hide them from him so that he wouldn’t sense them anymore.

“Are you scared of the ride?” he teased, kissing her forehead. Some of her anger faded.

“I’m not scared,” she replied stubbornly. “What about you, though?”

Arrogantly raising his head, he said, “I don’t even know what fear is.”

However, he would come to regret those words since riding a rollercoaster with many twists and turns, curves and peaks, was by far not as fun as he’d imagined. Minji realized that he was awfully quiet throughout the whole ride and when it ended, he was suspiciously pale and stumbled out of the seat. She quickly followed him and took his hand.

“Are you dizzy?” she asked worriedly since he was never this quiet.

“A bit,” he admitted. Since he really didn’t look good, she guided him to a nearby bench and told him to sit down.

“We’ll rest for a moment and then it’ll go away,” she said, letting him lay his head on her shoulder. She soothingly brushed over his white hair and he sighed quietly, closing his eyes. “No more rollercoasters for you today.”

They stayed like this for a while and Minji used the opportunity to look around for a bit, her gaze roaming over her vicinity. Since it would be Halloween soon, everything was decorated accordingly with spooky pumpkin lanterns, skeletons, and ghosts made of white linen fabric. The latter was amusing to her since ghosts did not look like that at all, but most humans wouldn’t know.

Cheerful music reverberated around them, originating from a merry-go-round for children nearby. She smiled, remembering how she’d loved those when she had been younger. Those had been the highlight of the day for her whenever she had gone to the amusement park with her parents.

“I wonder what Jangmi and Sehůn are doing,” she mumbled, thinking that it was good they separated since she knew that Sehůn would have made fun of Baëkhyun. She was a little concerned for him, brushing a few strands of hair away from his brow to peer at his face. Some color had returned to his cheeks and his features were relaxed. If he had been human, she would have thought him to be asleep, but she knew better.

“Baëkhyun, are you alright?” she asked, causing him to open his eyes. He lifted his head off her shoulder and straightened his back.

“Yeah, I am,” he replied. “Only humans would invent such an unnecessarily stupid thing,” he complained, referring to the rollercoaster which he threw a sinister glare.

“I’m glad you’re better,” she smiled and leaned in to share a kiss with him. She tasted a hint of sweetness on his tongue from the cotton candy he’d had earlier.

“As long as you’re happy, it’s worth putting up with all the humans in this place,” he murmured against her lips, his slender fingers brushing over her jawline.

“That’s very kind of you,” she giggled and he smirked in response.

“Do you want anything to drink? I could get us something before we move on to the next ride.”

“Why not?” he said. “This bubble tea stuff looks interesting. I’ve seen it somewhere earlier.”

Her eyes lit up and she nodded. “Yeah, I think I know where it was. Please wait here and I’ll be back soon!”

She got up from the bench and walked off with a smile on her face, wondering if he’d like bubble tea as much as he’d liked cotton candy. It also tasted very sweet, so she was positive that he would love it, especially since she planned on picking strawberry flavor for him. It had surprised her that he hadn’t taken the rollercoaster ride well, but she would make it up to him by getting bubble tea. After all, she wanted him to have a great day too.

Unfortunately, the line in front of the small bubble tea shop was annoyingly long. She sighed and waited anyway because she wanted to see his reaction to the sweet drink. A few children were in line before her, whining at their parents and their conversation went on her nerves. Minji was relieved when she finally got her two drinks and took them, walking back to where she had left Baëkhyun.

Since it was midday, the park was filled with people and it took her a while to walk through the crowds to Baëkhyun. He was probably losing his patience already, she just knew it.

As she neared the bench and spotted him sitting on it, her steps faltered. A bad feeling rose in her gut when she saw him talking to a woman that was sitting next to him, and rather close, too. Minji remained where she stood and watched tensely as the woman inched closer to him.

Minji couldn’t see Baëkhyun’s face since his back was turned to her, but it didn’t seem like he was opposed to this stranger who on top of it was very pretty. She reached her hand out to touch him and to Minji’s astonishment, he took it and held it. They remained in this position, the woman’s eyes widening as he said something to her.

Minji couldn’t bear to watch any longer. Her heart broke in her chest, shattering into tiny pieces. It suddenly became harder to breathe as a lump formed in her throat. Why did he flirt with other women when she wasn’t around for ten minutes? Why did he have to be like that? Was she not enough?

Hot tears flowed down her cheeks. “J-Jerk,” she sobbed and turned on her heels to run away. She dumped the bubble tea in the next trashcan and hurried on, narrowly dodging people when her vision blurred due to her tears. She wasn’t in the mood for an amusement park date anymore, in fact, she regretted ever coming here.

Did he as a demon not have an ounce of dignity? It had been him who proposed to form a new bond, so why did he act like that now? Tormented by her insecurities, more and more tears rolled down her cheeks. She ran faster, passing people who stared after her in astonishment, but nobody stopped her.

Maybe she wasn’t interesting enough. Maybe she wasn’t pretty enough. Maybe she was just a burden. Hadn’t he said so himself?

* * *

Baëkhyun had been putting up with this annoying woman for far too long and his temper was about to get the best of him. Turning around to her, he glared.

“Listen, I don’t want to talk to you,” he hissed. “Piss off!”

Surprised by his outburst, but not ready to give up, she stretched out her hand to touch him, but he quickly caught it and held it in a painfully tight grip. His eyes narrowed. “Filthy human, how dare you touch me. Keep your disgusting hands to yourself,” he growled.

With wide eyes, she stared at him and retracted her hand after he let her go. Now she wasn’t so confident in her undertaking to flirt with him anymore since his rudeness was putting her off.

Baëkhyun smirked seeing her inch back and get up, but his smugness didn’t last for long. Without warning, he was overwhelmed by a wave of sadness and desperation that wasn’t his own. He froze, opening his mouth but not making a sound. His heart was hurting badly, it felt like it was torn to pieces and it scared him to the core.

Head snapping around, he scanned the crowd for a sign of Minji, hoping to see her somewhere, but among the many people, he didn’t spot her. Worried for her wellbeing, he ignored the woman and ran off in the direction where the bubble tea shop was in the hopes of finding her there. The bond’s magic didn’t warn him of any danger, but something had to be wrong when she felt this bad. He had to find her and _fast_.

As he ran through the crowd, desperate to catch sight of her, he found the bubble tea shop, but she wasn’t there anymore. Only strangers were waiting in line. Where could she be and why hadn’t she returned to him? He was horrified and as her pain in his chest grew, so did his fear. Where was she?

His pulse accelerated and his eyes turned ruby red as he glanced around frantically. “Minji!” he called, but he received no answer, just weird stares that were thrown his way by those useless, dumb humans. They were only standing in his way, preventing him from finding her faster and he was tempted to use his magic to shove them away.

The situation gave him a painful sense of déjà-vu that only fueled his panic. He ran into another alley, passed countless colorful rides, but he didn’t see her anywhere. It was as if she had vanished. Clutching the fabric of his jacket right where his heart was, his features distorted, showing his pain. She was suffering somewhere and he had to find her. He couldn’t fail. He couldn’t. Not again.

“Minji!” he yelled, and again he received no answer. As he passed an alley, he stopped abruptly and turned around, thinking he had gotten a glimpse of her. And indeed, there she was.

She stood with her back to him, hidden in the shadow of a building, looking lost and lonely. Her sobs were heartwrenching, their sounds making him run faster. He crashed into her so suddenly she gasped, locking his arms around her stomach and pressing her back into his chest.

“I found you,” he managed to say before he pressed his face into the side of her neck, breathing in her familiar scent. Oddly, his arrival didn’t make her feel better. The foreign pain in his heart grew, became unbearable. She quivered and squirmed in his strong hold, attempting to free herself.

“Let go!” she hissed, and in his shock, he did just that.

“What are you doing here?” she said angrily, taking a step back. His eyes widened when he saw her flushed cheeks and the tear tracks marking her skin. She was biting down on her shaking lower lip to hold in another sob.

“I was looking for you because you weren’t feeling well,” he explained, not understanding what the problem was. “What happened?”

“Shouldn’t you know that?” she snapped. “As soon as I was gone for a few minutes you… you started flirting with some random woman… a-and you were even holding her hand.”

Realization dawned on him and he took a step closer to her. “I wasn’t flirting with her. I told her to go, but she wouldn’t listen.”

“It didn’t look like that to me,” she persisted, rubbing her wet eyes with the sleeves of her sweater.

“Minji, why would I flirt with some random disgusting human?” he replied irritatedly. “That bitch wasn’t worth my time, so I told her off when she tried to touch me.”

She stayed quiet and gazed at him with red-rimmed eyes, hugging her own body.

“You should know better than to doubt me over something so stupid. I would never cheat on you,” he said sincerely and took another step towards her, reaching her. “Did you feel bad because of that?”

He cupped her cheeks and brushed her tears away with his thumbs, looking her over. “You gave me a huge scare. I thought something bad was happening to you,” he scolded her. “Don’t do that again. Next time, don’t run off.”

Minji froze when she realized he was hiding his desperation. She had misunderstood the situation. The guilt had another wave of tears well up in her eyes. How stupid could she be for worrying him like that? He must have been looking for her in the whole park, thinking she had hurt herself, but she hadn’t wasted a thought about that. In fact, she hadn’t even sensed his overwhelming desperation until now, too occupied with her own emotions.

“I’m sorry,” she hiccupped. “It was my mistake. I ruined our date.”

He sighed, letting go of her face to embrace her. His arms wound around her body, tightly holding her. She sniffled and hid her face at his chest, her hands clutching the lapels of his red jacket. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “It’s all my fault.”

“Don’t cry,” he whispered. “No need to beat yourself up over it. And besides, our date hasn’t ended yet. We still have plenty of time left to have fun.”

“Baëkhyun, are you not mad?” she mumbled, tensing her shoulders.

He carded his fingers through her soft hair, the gesture calming her racing heartbeat. “I’m not. Just don’t get jealous so quickly next time,” he replied.

She hesitated, finding his words ironic. “It’s strange to hear that coming from you,” she whispered.

“What do you mean?”

“Um… nothing,” she said softly and raised her head to glance at him.

“You look like a panda,” he smiled, referring to her smeared eye makeup.

“Great.”

“A very cute panda,” he added, wiping the skin under her eyes with a tissue. “Now it’s fine. As if nothing ever happened.”

“I’m probably very ugly right now,” she said pessimistically.

“No, you’re not. You’re pretty,” he said with a hint of stubbornness and proceeded to kiss her forehead, the tip of her nose, and then her lips. “And now I want you to smile.”

“Okay,” she said and the corners of her lips quirked up. “Can I get another kiss?”

“Of course, sugar. As you wish,” he whispered and breathed a soft kiss on her lips. It conveyed a soothing warmth that chased away the negative feelings. Colorful joy bloomed within her and she soon understood that it was mixed with his. Baëkhyun’s emotions were a bit different from hers, so she could tell which belonged to him and which to her. When they mixed, they were amplified, colorful and bright like a rainbow.

Leaving her sadness behind for good, she focused on the blend of positive emotions within her, and suddenly, smiling wasn’t so hard anymore. When they ended the kiss and he saw her smile, he mirrored her expression.

“See, that’s better,” he grinned and took her hand to lead her out of the alley. “And now we should resume our date. What do you want to do?”

They returned to the busy streets winding through the amusement park, loud laughter and music reaching her ears. The atmosphere was cheerful, bright, and she found herself enjoying it. Letting her eyes move over the area, she was unsure where she wanted to go now.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you decide?” she asked.

“Fine, then come with me.” He remembered something he had seen earlier that he wanted to try. They walked hand in hand over a square and he brought her to an area with many souvenir shops, but those weren’t what he was interested in.

He walked on to where the game stalls were. They were decorated with prizes that the players could win and Minji assumed that he wanted to try his luck in one of them. He picked the game with balloons and darts, and she smiled amusedly at his poorly hidden interest in playing. Minji herself didn’t want to try since she was rather bad at these kinds of games, so she watched him play instead.

His eyes narrowed as he concentrated on hitting one of the balloons, raising his arm and throwing the dart. It got stuck in the wall without hitting anything. He clicked his tongue and took the next dart, this time aiming a little higher before he let it fly.

Again, he missed. “Fuck this,” he growled, particles of red appearing in his iris. Minji watched with wide eyes as he threw the next dart with inhuman force. It hit a balloon, but since he’d used so much of his supernatural strength, the dart snapped, it’s tip looking crooked.

Her smile froze on her face when she noticed the horrified expression of the man running the stall. Baëkhyun, however, didn’t see anything but his targets and took the next dart, aggressively hurling it towards the wall with the balloons. He didn’t hit any of them, but he managed to break this dart as well.

His competitive side had awakened. He gritted his teeth and took the last remaining dart, glaring at the balloons as if he wanted to destroy them with his glower alone. Unsurprisingly, this dart was also broken, snapping when it hit the wall.

“I want another round,” Baëkhyun grumbled and glared daggers at the man running the stall. He was sweating nervously, his gaze flitting from the demon to Minji and back.

“W-Well,” he stuttered, “If you continue to destroy my darts, I soon won’t have any left.”

“I said _I want another round_!” Baëkhyun persisted, lowering his voice.

“How about this: You get to chose any prize you want if you leave afterward?”

Baëkhyun was about to open his mouth and throw a fit, but Minji was faster than him. “That’s great, thank you so much!” she said politely and nudged Baëkhyun with her elbow. “Come on, pick your prize!”

He pulled a face, unhappy that he didn’t get his chance to win, but he didn’t complain anymore and picked one of the prizes. The man was more than happy to hand it over to get rid of Baëkhyun. Minji heard him heave a sigh when they walked away.

The demon looked at her from the corner of his eyes before he held out the prize to her. “It’s yours,” he said.

“R-Really?” she sputtered and took the cute little plushie. It was a round kitty with small protruding ears and big eyes. Its soft fur was yellow and reminded her of Mochi. “Thank you. It’s cute,” she beamed and hugged the cat to her chest. “I’ll treasure it.”

“I figured you’d like it,” he mumbled as they walked on. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, grinning when he saw her happy expression. It was fascinating to him that she was able to find joy in the smallest things.

* * *

Half an hour later, they had finally reunited with Jangmi and Sehůn who had been busy riding all the rollercoasters that the park had to offer. Their hair was windswept and their cheeks flushed. It was obvious they’d had a lot of fun. Nonetheless, Jangmi looked envious when she saw Minji’s kitty.

“Sehůn, look! Why haven’t you gotten a prize for me too?” she huffed and put her hands on her hips.

“Because we didn’t have an opportunity for that, remember? We stood in line most of the time,” he explained himself nervously.

“Next time I want a prize too,” she grumbled, but let him off the hook.

Baëkhyun on the other hand didn’t plan on letting it slide. He smirked cockily. “You suck at dating, Sehůn,” he drawled, his voice oozing arrogance. “I’m better than you in every aspect.”

“Can you shut up for a second, you arrogant ass?” Sehůn growled, being riled up easily.

“Don’t argue, please!” Minji said, standing in between them, but they continued to glare at each other over her head. “We’re wasting time here, let’s try another one of the rides before the park closes,” she added, and that finally caught the demons’ attention.

The sky was already changing colors, turning from blue to violet since the sun would set soon. The spooky Halloween decoration spread throughout the park looked a lot more convincing now, the pumpkin lanterns glowing in soft orange light. The air had cooled significantly, making Minji shudder. Baëkhyun noticed and wrapped his arm around her, pushing her into his chest. She smiled gratefully, carrying her kitty in one hand while he took the other one to warm it up.

“How about we end the date with a ride in the Ferris wheel?” Jangmi proposed.

“So cheesy,” Sehůn chuckled.

“Don’t act as if you weren’t looking forward to it!” she giggled and winked.

“Alright, let’s go. It’s just around the corner,” Minji said. The Ferris wheel stood out from the other attractions, it’s flashing colorful lights making it appear like a beacon in the dark. It looked magical from the ground and she couldn’t wait to see the brightly illuminated park from above.

“Did you have a nice day?” she asked Jangmi as they walked towards their destination.

“Yes, the rollercoasters were the best part!” she chirped.

“What about you?” Sehůn asked, watching them from the corner of his eye.

“I’d say we’ve grown closer,” Baëkhyun answered without giving any details, winking at Minji who blushed.

“Aren’t you the cutest?” Jangmi gushed, Minji’s blush darkening. “You must have had fun without us,” she joked.

“Yes, we had,” Minji grinned, hugging her plushie. Baëkhyun snorted in amusement and glanced at her with warmly sparkling eyes. He squeezed her hand, his thumb brushing over its back.

They arrived at the entrance of the Ferris wheel, and thankfully, not many people were in line, so they were able to get in immediately. Baëkhyun insisted that they take a gondola on their own, smirking as he pulled Minji into the next one he saw. She barely got to say anything to Sehůn and Jangmi, and then they were already gone.

He made sure to have her sit next to him and engulfed her in his arms. She blushed, leaned her head on his shoulder, and relaxed as the Ferris wheel began to move, their gondola ascending towards the night sky. Minji curiously peered out the window, but seeing how high up they were, she flinched back slightly. The shining lights of the amusement park were dazzling, looking gorgeous and reminding her of tiny stars. From up here, everything looked so small. Fascinated, she couldn’t tear her eyes from the sight.

Baëkhyun’s chuckle made her turn her head, and she was surprised at how close he was all of a sudden. With his sky-blue eyes meeting her brown orbs, he leaned in to seal their lips in a sweet kiss. He wasn’t impatient this time, wasn’t pushing her. Very softly, his lips moved against hers, reminding her of the fluttering tender touch of a feather. He could be very gentle when he wanted to be, caressing her cheeks carefully like she was made of glass.

Her heart was pounding in elation when their lips parted, though they stayed close, leaning their foreheads against each other. “Thank you for today,” she smiled. “I’ve had a lot of fun. We should… go on dates more often.”

He grinned. “If my sugar wants to, we can do it all the time.”

She nodded vigorously, happiness blooming in her chest. However, when she looked at him, she came to see something unusual. “Baëkhyun, you’re glowing!” she said, shocked that her boyfriend was randomly radiating light like a glowstick.

“So what?” he grumbled, looking a bit flustered when he crossed his arms.

“Tone your magic down before anyone notices,” she reminded him since the gondola was moving towards the ground already.

“Nobody’s here though,” he said and shrugged.

“Why exactly are you _glowing_? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happening,” she mumbled suspiciously and leaned closer to him, their noses almost touching.

“No reason,” he said lowly and avoided her curious gaze. A red hue spread over his cheeks, making her squeal internally.

“Are you happy?”

“Maybe.”

She giggled and hugged him tightly, his magical glow engulfing her. He let out a sigh followed by a chuckle and embraced her, locking his arms behind her back. As she sat snuggled into him, she sensed the warm feeling of joy within her heart, originating from him.


	32. Desire

Tired from the exciting day at the amusement park, Minji overslept the following morning, but since it was Sunday, it didn’t really matter. She never wanted to get up when she was cuddled up to Baëkhyun’s body, relishing in the sense of safety and warmth that his embrace gave her. His clinginess didn’t exactly make it easier to leave the bed either and so they ended up lazing around until it was almost noon. Only then did she finally decide that she needed to get up.

Trudging to the bathroom, she took a quick shower and put on fresh clothes consisting of a much too large hoodie she’d stolen from Baëkhyun, and comfortable leggings. Since it was fall, she preferred wearing warmer clothes, and Baëkhyun owned lots of cozy hoodies. _Convenient_.

She brushed her long black hair, taking a look at her face in the mirror. Her cheeks were rosy, reflecting her happiness. She had been over the moon since she got to spend so much time with him, and she sometimes still couldn’t believe that it was all real. With a smile on her lips, she pulled up the long sleeve of the hoodie and uncovered the white star on her wrist that glowed softly whenever Baëkhyun was close by. Tracing its outline with her finger, she watched it glimmer.

However, she was suddenly torn from her thoughts when the doorbell rang, announcing a visitor. Surprised by this, she left the bathroom and went to the front door. She didn’t expect any guests, but since she already sensed a familiar trace of fire demon magic, she had a hunch who was standing in front of her door.

And she turned out to be right, coming face to face with Tao who was throwing her a worried and slightly irritated look. “Minji!” he exclaimed. “I was worried about you! Why did you just vanish for over a week?! I came by a few days ago but nobody was home.”

Guilt overcame her, and she realized that she should have at least called or texted him to tell him she was alright. Somehow, she had been so busy with Baëkhyun and their new bond that it hadn’t even struck her mind.

“I’m sorry,” she said, pulling him into a hug. “I just… I had some things to sort out. A lot happened this past week.” She decided to leave her little trip to hell out of the picture for now since that would only freak him out more.

He hugged her tightly and patted her back. “You should have said something. I was already expecting the worst,” he said, but then he stilled, concentrating on something he hadn’t noticed before. The air around her flat was layered with a hint of light magic and he noticed that her aura had changed. It was different than it had been when he’d last seen her. Letting go of her, he took a step back and observed her with scrunched brows. His eyes got stuck on the oversized black hoodie she was wearing and widened.

He took her hand and pulled up the sleeve to uncover the mark on her wrist. “Y-You… you are bonded again? Since when?” he whispered in shock. “And to _whom_?”

“Tao, calm down,” she tried to reassure him. “It’s fine… it’s just… Why don’t you come in so we can talk properly?”

He cursed under his breath but complied and followed her into the living room. “Now explain what’s going on!” he said in a sharp tone that conveyed his irritation mixed with his worry.

The light magic flooding the apartment suddenly changed, sizzling and pulsing angrily. She straightened her back, cringing since she knew that the next few minutes would be anything but pleasant. As expected, Baëkhyun appeared behind her, his eyes narrowing at Tao who he stared down.

“What is this commotion here?” he spat, making sure to pull Minji away from Tao. He put himself between them, shooting the hunter a hateful glower.

Tao clenched his jaw. “I was just dropping by to visit my friend. Let me guess, you are Baëkhyun, the asshole who left her alone for a whole month,” he hissed, a flame licking over his hand as his anger rose. “Do you know how badly you hurt her? Do you have any idea what this woman went through because of you? Selfish bastard!”

Baëkhyun tensed. Minji decided that it was better to interfere before they actually started a fight, moving in between them. “Tao, please. Don’t… don’t bring that up now,” she pleaded.

Instead of sitting down so they could talk it out, the two men stood in the middle of the room and stared each other down. Minji suppressed a sigh, taking note of the wild magic that swept through her flat. She caught a glimpse of Mochi hiding in the next room, deciding it was better to stay away.

“Why did you suddenly come back, huh?” Tao yelled. “Why, after you hurt her so much?”

“Shut the fuck up, you have no idea what you’re even talking about!” Baëkhyun thundered, clenching his hands into fists. His bloodred eyes were fixed on Tao, and he looked furious through and through. However, when guilt and regret began to weigh on her chest, she knew that he was hiding his true feelings about the matter. She was the only person he couldn’t fool.

“How dare you show up here! A fucking demon hunter has no right to be anywhere near her!” Baëkhyun snapped furiously. “You’re responsible for putting her in danger countless times and I should kill you for that! Why would you invite a human on your stupid hunts, huh?”

“I always made sure she’s safe!” Tao defended himself.

“No, you didn’t! If I hadn’t interfered when that high-class demon found her in the forest, she would have been murdered by him! You were nowhere near her and you could not have helped her in time,” Baëkhyun countered. His temper was getting the best of him.

The tension in the room spiked. Icy silence hung over them and nobody moved for a few seconds until Baëkhyun’s anger exploded. Hot light magic shot towards Tao who shielded himself with fire.

“Stay the fuck away from her, you dirty hunter,” he snarled. She hadn’t seen him this furious since they had fought Chängho weeks back, and his burning hatred shocked her. He hardly knew Tao, yet he treated him like he was a terrible person.

“Are you asking for a fight?” Tao countered, riled up by his aggressiveness. “I would kill you without hesitation if you weren’t bonded to her.”

A terrifying growl resounded through the living room. The air was loaded with sparkling light magic, only waiting to rip Tao apart, and she couldn’t let that happen. “Calm down, please!” she interfered and took Baëkhyun’s hand, forcing him to dim his magic as not to hurt her by accident.

His bloodred eyes pierced her, looked feral when he stared at her. She flinched, but she made sure to hold on tightly to his arm to prevent him from attacking. “Don’t hurt him,” she said.

“Minji, he is a hunter and he is going to kill you sooner or later if I don’t do something,” he snapped and scowled, his eyes moving to Tao to make sure he didn’t move from his spot. “He’s endangered your life often enough in the past.”

“He wouldn’t kill me,” she insisted. “Just trust me!”

“You don’t understand,” he retorted icily. “That’s what hunters do… they lull you into a false sense of security and then they strike mercilessly. You’re not getting anywhere near this bastard. Never again.” To prove his point, he once more shoved her behind him and threw her a harsh stare over his shoulder.

Tao watched their exchange with narrowed eyes, not understanding why Minji had agreed to get bonded to him again after what had happened. In his opinion, she’d made the wrong decision since the demon was clearly too violent and dangerous for her to be around.

“I would never kill her,” Tao cut in, glaring at Baëkhyun. “And I would never hurt her either, other than _you_.”

Minji could almost see the last restraint Baëkhyun still had on himself snap in half. His fists were shaking, eyes blazing. “Shut. The. Fuck. Up,” he snarled. Now his anger drowned out his guilt. She sensed it, felt its boiling heat within her heart.

Helplessly, she watched as the two were about to fight, desperate tears pricking at her eyes. Why didn’t anyone listen to her? Why couldn’t they just talk it out like normal people? It wasn’t necessary to tear each other apart.

“Stop it!” she yelled, but they still didn’t listen, glaring at each other as the magic around her began to sizzle and buzz. If they started a fight in her flat, not only would it be destroyed, but other people might be hurt and that couldn’t happen.

Her tears spilled over, running down her cheeks. “Please, just stop,” she sniffled, tugging at Baëkhyun’s shirt and gazing pleadingly at Tao. Baëkhyun’s reddish eyes widened, his strong magic calming. The light that had been glowing in his palms disappeared. Tao scoffed when she hugged Baëkhyun’s waist, but he didn’t say anything, looking somewhere else.

“Let’s talk about this calmly, okay?” she said, rubbing her teary eyes. Baëkhyun stroked the back of her head that she leaned on his chest and heaved a deep sigh.

“If it means that much to you,” he grumbled, not happy with this situation, but at least the worst of his fury had disappeared. Nonetheless, she felt his magic permeating the air, invisible yet ready to strike. It was like a blanket lying over her, and it would have made her feel protected if it hadn’t been for the fact that Tao was her _friend_ and not an enemy.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, feeling relieved that the immediate danger had passed. Baëkhyun was like a raging storm sometimes when his fury surfaced, and even she had trouble holding him back. She hoped that he’d refrain from hurting Tao.

While she understood Baëkhyun’s hatred for demon hunters, she thought that he shouldn’t judge Tao too soon. He was a friend of hers and safe to be around. It was obvious that they wouldn’t ever get along, but she hoped they could at least learn to tolerate each other in the future.

Now that the demonic magic had calmed, Mochi dared to stick its head out the kitchen and looked at them curiously. Minji quickly walked over and picked it up, cradling the small cat to her chest. She petted its head, smiling to herself when it began to purr contently.

“You meanies scared our baby away,” she said and cuddled Mochi. “Our cute little baby.”

Tao coughed. “Y-Your _baby_?” he forced out, his jaw dropping to the floor. His gaze moved from her to Baëkhyun. He stared. “H-How?” he sputtered.

Baëkhyun rolled his eyes and sighed. “For a hunter, you are quite stupid.”

Minji didn’t get what they meant. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t want to know,” Baëkhyun snorted. “He’s an idiot. Period.”

“Where exactly did that cat come from?” Tao asked.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, it just appeared after we got bonded for the first time. I assume Mochi was curious about the magic it sensed from the bond? Why else would it follow me around? It’s not like I could ask, obviously.”

Tao threw the cat another look and seemed somewhat intrigued by it, but he didn’t ask any more questions about the matter.

“Why don’t you sit down so we can talk?” she suggested to them, noticing that they weren’t happy about the idea of spending time together. “I’ll get us something to drink, okay? Don’t kill each other while I’m gone though…” She glared at both of them and then hurried to the kitchen, not really wanting to leave them alone for too long.

As soon as she was gone, the tension in the living room spiked once more.

“I should kill you for being a demon hunter, but I will refrain from it for Minji’s sake,” Baëkhyun said and raised his chin arrogantly. “If I wanted you dead, you’d be in a second.”

“Scary,” Tao mocked.

“Shut up, human,” Baëkhyun snapped.

“I’m not even a human, you idiotic demon!” Tao retorted.

“Yes, you are!”

“No, I’m not!”

“Yes!” Baëkhyun persisted.

“No!” Tao shouted back.

“Fuck you!”

“No, fuck _you!”_

“Fuck you ten times!”

“Fuck you ten times more!”

Minji came back with a bottle of lemonade and three glasses, staring at them in astonishment. “Well, aren’t my boys getting along great today?” she said sarcastically.

“We aren’t!” they shouted at the same time with equally disgusted looks on their faces.

“He’s not your boy,” Baëkhyun grumbled.

“Yes, I am!” Tao cut in.

“No, you’re not!”

Minji sighed, knowing that this would be a _very_ long day.

* * *

It wasn’t until the evening that Tao finally decided to leave, fed up with the demon’s sour attitude. After having listened to their arguments and bickering almost the entire day, Minji was relieved about this. Having a hot-headed demon and an equally hot-tempered demon hunter in one room wasn’t a good idea.

“Finally he’s gone,” Baëkhyun huffed, plopping down on the sofa next to her. He used the remote to turn on the tv and picked a random channel.

Minji didn’t answer, too engrossed in taking care of her kitty. “Look, Mochi, this one is just like you,” she smiled and held the cat plushie from the amusement park out to it. Mochi sniffed at it curiously, stealing it from her to lie down right on top of it. She snorted in amusement. Of course it would be used as a pillow, what else would a cat do with a plushie.

Moving her fingers through the light demon’s softly glowing fur, she didn’t notice the irritated stare that a different demon had been sending them. He wasn’t in the best mood after Tao’s visit and that Minji yet again was occupied with other things pissed him off.

He inched closer to her on the sofa, but she didn’t look up, her eyes glued to Mochi’s ethereally glimmering body. It was made entirely of light and a bit translucent. The cat had the audacity to let out a relaxed “Mrreooww” that irritated him more than he already was. A threatening growl rumbled in his throat. The cat snapped its head up and stared at him, flicking its ears in his direction.

“Hmm, what is it, Mochi?” Minji asked and petted its head. “Go back to sleep, my little cutie.”

However, instead of listening to her as usual, the cat hissed and bristled, glaring at Baëkhyun.

She scowled at him. “Baëkhyun! Stop growling at my kitty, that’s bad manners!” she scolded him. “You demons are so weird with your strange habits.”

“The cat’s annoying me,” he grumbled and huffed.

“Why? It seems to be perfectly happy on my lap, and it’s not doing anything.”

“Didn’t you say that _I’m_ your favorite demon, huh?”

Her eyes widened a fraction, a rosy color painting her cheeks. “I… I did,” she stuttered. “But why would you bring that up now?”

“You’re so dense,” he muttered, his mood souring further.

“Wait, wait,” she said when she realized something, a grin curling her lips. “Are you actually jealous because of a cat?” She couldn’t hold back her giggles, her body shaking in laughter. His expression darkened, and he started sulking, crossing his arms.

“Does Hyunnie crave my attention?” she smirked. “Hmm, does he?”

He made it a point not to look at her anymore and ignored her teasing, but she wouldn’t have it. Taking one of his braids, she started tugging at it, playing with the silky white strands of hair. “Hyunnie, don’t you want to look at me?” Her smirk widened.

“Oh well, if Hyunnie is ignoring me, then I will take care of Mochi instead. Too bad.”

The growl was back and this time, it was accompanied by a heated stare. He shifted on the sofa and leaned in. “Stop provoking me, sugar,” he said lowly, a weird glint in his entrancing red eyes.

“What if I don’t?” she asked daringly.

“Want to find out?” he muttered, his breath fanning over her lips. She shuddered.

“Yes.”

Baëkhyun chased Mochi away with another irritated growl and then he crashed their lips together. He quickly dominated the kiss and pushed her down on her back, hovering over her body. She felt hot all of a sudden, her desire for him being reignited in only a few seconds. It was so easy for him to make her feel this way—he didn’t need to do much to have her melting under his intoxicating touches. He was irresistible to her, and when he acted like _this_ , she found it impossible to refuse him. At this point, he could have asked anything of her and she would have said yes.

He pulled her bottom lip between his teeth, biting her and eliciting a needy moan from her. She swore she heard him chuckle before he swiped his tongue over the spot and connected their lips once more. Her head was spinning, her blood boiling. There was only one thought in her mind. _She wanted him_. And she couldn’t wait another day. This time, there were no demons nearby to interrupt them. This time, they were alone.

When their lips parted, they made a soft, wet sound, a string of saliva connecting them. He leaned his forehead against hers, his unyielding red eyes capturing hers. They glowed unnaturally, were breathtakingly beautiful and framed by dark lashes. She flushed, her heart fluttering in her chest. Fire pooled in her abdomen, only waiting to consume her.

Baëkhyun knew exactly what she was feeling thanks to their bond, his lust growing with every second. His hands slipped beneath the hoodie she was wearing, teasingly brushing over her bra that got in the way. She bit back a moan when he grazed her skin. “I like it when you wear my clothes,” he murmured into her neck. “But I’d like it more when you wouldn’t wear anything at all.”

She blushed at his bold words, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. “Let’s get rid of this,” he said lowly, helping her remove the hoodie. She could tell that he was losing his patience, not that it surprised her. His red eyes darkened when they fell on her upper body that was now only clothed in a black bra. Biting his lower lip, he let out a breath, tracing her collarbones with his fingers before his hands wandered deeper, cupping her chest.

Yearning to kiss him once more, she played with the end of his chain, pulling at it. That got his attention, and when his scarlet eyes met hers, she was hypnotized by them. He bowed down and locked their lips, starting another hungry kiss. Through their bond, she sensed his strong desire. It manifested within her, made her lose her mind as it mixed with her own. Never before had she felt like this, and it only took another small push of his for her to fall over the edge and lose control.

“I want you,” he murmured lowly, his seductive tone sending a shiver down her back. “Minji.” His voice was a mere whisper, but it was enough to make her quiver beneath him.

She buried one hand in his white hair, the other wandering over his back. With their bodies pressed up against each other, she felt the tautness of his muscles—only his shirt was in the way. She tugged at the hem of it, not liking that he was still fully clothed when she wasn’t.

Knowing what she desired, a sly smirk spread over his lips. “Is my sugar getting impatient?” he drawled, pecking the corner of her lips.

“Baëkhyun, don’t tease me,” she complained breathlessly, her eyes meeting his.

He grinned smugly before he finally showed mercy and slipped his shirt over his head. She gulped seeing his muscular body, his toned chest and defined abs. Her gaze was drawn by the black star-shaped crest on his left chest—the same one she had on her wrist. It looked gorgeous on him, and before she could stop herself, she was already tracing it with the tip of her finger. It stood out on his milky skin, appearing like a regular tattoo. That is until she touched it. The tattoo lit up, shining like the star on her wrist. With wide eyes she watched it, completely unaware of the demon’s amusement as he studied her reaction.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed. He chuckled as if he’d only been waiting for her to say that.

“Yours is just as pretty,” he teased, guiding her wrist to his mouth to press a soft kiss on it. Her skin tingled where he touched her, and she smiled.

“Come here,” she purred, cupping his cheeks as he moved to hover over her, propping himself up with his hands. Her thumbs circled over his soft skin, briefly lingering on the delicate silver chain stretching over his face. Eyes getting stuck on his sinful lips, she saw them quirking up. This devil knew full well what an effect he had on her. He was oozing confidence, about to lean in for another kiss.

“I love you,” she breathed just seconds before his lips melded with hers. Hearing her whispered words, his smirk widened. He took her hands, interlacing his fingers with hers as he pressed them to the sofa. Wanting to be closer to him, she hooked her legs around his hips.

Baëkhyun trailed wet kisses down her neck, lingering in a spot where he knew she was particularly sensitive, educing soft mewls from her. His hands let go of hers to explore her body, her skin prickling pleasantly wherever he touched her. She took a shuddering breath as he lifted her up a bit so he could reach the clasp of her bra. Opening it skillfully, he slipped the straps down her shoulders, getting rid of it.

Ruby eyes were staring at her, drinking her in and devouring her whole. She was so innocent, so easy to corrupt. He couldn’t wait any longer, not when she was gazing at him with this pleading look in her eyes. The last bits of his self-restraint crumbled to dust. Finally, after so long, he would make her his.

That night, he drowned in her.

* * *

When she awoke the following morning, she was comfortably lying in her bed, tucked under her soft cover. Sunlight flooded the room, her eyelids fluttering open. A slight ache in her body drew her attention, and she only needed three more seconds to remember what had happened last night. 

“You awake?” a low voice murmured into her ear. Her head laid on Baëkhyun’s naked chest as he embraced her possessively. It seemed like he’d held her all night while she had slept—no wonder did she feel so comfortable.

“Kind of,” she mumbled sleepily.

He chuckled and brushed his hand over her hair. “If you’re that tired, just close your eyes and relax for another while,” he said, his lips quirking up. A sly glimmer appeared in his blue eyes. “Last night must have been exciting for you.” She didn’t miss the suggestive tone in his voice, rolling her eyes at him.

“Yeah, well, not like you know how to stop,” she said. “I swear, you demons can go forever.”

“You didn’t complain, sugar,” he smirked, planting a kiss on the side of her neck. She sighed softly, enjoying the tender touch of his lips. “Even now you’re all over me.” His words were dripping with arrogance and smugness.

“I can’t believe this is the same person who blushed over cotton candy,” she mumbled.

“Huh, what did you just say?!”

“Nothing,” she giggled and playfully tugged at his braid. “I think it’s time to get up now. We can’t stay in bed all day, Hyunnie.”

“Is that your favorite new nickname now?” he grumbled, not looking too happy about it.

“Yes, or do you prefer Baëkkie?”

“No!”

“Hyunnie it is, then,” she smiled. He already opened his mouth to throw a fit, but seeing how happy she was, he closed it and swallowed his complaints. If a stupid pet name could make her smile, then he’d put up with it… but only because it was her.

She sat up and stretched her arms, about to leave the bed when he said something that made her pause. “You still saying no to showering with me?” he smirked, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger.

“No, you’re coming with me this time,” she grinned, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him out of bed.

* * *

A while later, when they’d just finished having breakfast, Minji was confronted with yet another surprise visitor, but other than Tao, this one didn’t like to use doors.

Turning around, she suddenly stared into a pair of piercing demonic eyes that didn’t belong to Baëkhyun. Her heart stopped, fear gripped her. She screamed, summoning her magic out of instinct. A beam of light shot through the air, hitting the intruder who cursed under his breath.

“Oww! Damn it!” he cursed, and she realized who it was.

“You deserved that,” Baëkhyun cackled from behind her, joining her and Kāi who looked rather pouty.

“Hey, I just wanted to visit!”

“Come through the door like normal people,” Baëkhyun deadpanned.

“I’m not normal.”

It was silent for a moment before Minji giggled. “Point taken.”

“I’m not the only visitor, by the way. The rest is waiting outside the door,” Kāi snickered.

“As they should,” Baëkhyun remarked icily. “You can’t just barge in all the time.”

“Why not? Did you do something I wasn’t supposed to see?” Kāi asked, curiously looking at him and Minji. “Don’t tell me you needed a whole week to pick up where you left off that one time we interrupted you in hell.”

Minji’s embarrassed laugh was all he needed to hear to know what was up. “I see, so you were busy indeed,” Kāi smirked. “Then I hope it was fun.”

She blushed like a tomato and quickly fled the room, intending to open the front door for the others. In a few seconds, she was gone, wanting to curse at the silly demon for his unnecessary comments. She opened the front door and came face to face with Chanyeøl, Suhø and Chën. Their smirks told her that Yixing had gossiped a little about certain things… and she was sure that the next few hours would be chaotic as hell with three more demons in her flat.

“Looks like someone got laid,” was the first thing Suhø said when he saw her.

She cursed under her breath, flushing. “W-What is it with you demon perverts?!” she screeched.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!!
> 
> Didnt Mochi do a fantastic job at playing matchmaker? Not intentionally, but still... ;D  
> I really wrote 1k words just about them making out. Oops. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!  
> On another note, I'm really curious which name you prefer for Baëkhyun. Is it Hyunnie or is it Baëkkie? ;D


	33. Blood Mage

“Why are you here?” Minji asked the four demons sitting on her sofa in the living room. Kāi, Chën, Chanyeøl and Suhø had arrived without prior warning, as they usually did, but she guessed that they had a reason for coming by.

“We heard about your new bond,” Chanyeøl said, waggling his eyebrows. “Thought we should come over and check in on you.”

“You didn’t need long to make a new one,” Chën said slyly.

“ _Someone_ must have been impatient again,” Suhø added. The red-haired demon kept his eyes on the couple on the opposite sofa, his gaze lingering on their intertwined hands.

“Shut up, Suhø,” Baëkhyun growled. “You don’t have a say in this.”

“Were you scared someone else would steal her from you?” Kāi cackled, earning himself a death glare. “Minji knows lots of attractive guys, I bet she wouldn’t have waited for you forever.”

She knew that the silly demon’s only objective was to annoy her boyfriend who was fuming in anger. The lamps above them kept flickering madly; a clear warning that Baëkhyun was about to explode. Which meant that she needed to do some damage control.

“Kāi, that’s not tr—” she began, but she was cut off when Baëkhyun interrupted her.

“Fuck off, Kāi! I wouldn’t let anyone take her from me,” he hissed, his enraged red eyes burning a hole through Kāi’s head.

“Look how obsessed he is with her,” Chanyeøl laughed, exchanging a glance with Chën who was grinning in amusement.

“Are you guys only here to poke fun at us?” Minji asked, raising her eyebrows. While she was nowhere near as hot-tempered as Baëkhyun, even she didn’t have infinite patience. So far, the other demons hadn’t done anything except barge in unannounced and tease them.

“That was indeed part of the plan,” Chanyeøl admitted shamelessly, “But we also wanted to see how you were doing. Haven’t met you since you left hell a few weeks ago.”

“Sehůn told us you were on a double date with him and Jangmi,” Suhø said. His deep blue eyes darted from Minji to Baëkhyun, a hint of curiosity swimming in them.

“Oh, yes that’s true!” Minji smiled. The memory of that day never failed to make her happy. She loved recalling Baëkhyun’s wondrous expression when he had tried cotton candy for the first time. He’d been delighted by the snack but hadn’t wanted to admit it. “You guys should come along next time, it would be fun!”

“Definitely,” Suhø nodded.

“Hell no!” Baëkhyun shouted and glared at Minji. “Why would you say that? They wouldn’t let us have a minute to ourselves.”

“But they’re our friends, don’t you want to spend time with them?”

“No, I only want to spend time with you!”

“That’s so rude of you.”

“What? Why?! You should be flattered!”

“Your logic is twisted,” she nagged.

“No, yours is! Not everyone gets to enjoy my presence _daily_ ,” he retorted smugly. “Be grateful.”

“You’re so damn arrogant.”

“But you love me,” he countered. When she fell silent, the smirk on his lips widened, overflowing with arrogance. “See, I knew it! There you have it.”

The four demons opposite them tried hard to hold in their laughter, and in the end, it was Chanyeøl who lost it first. He bent over in laughter, hitting Kāi who snickered madly. Minji and Baëkhyun returned their attention to them, finally remembering that they had had spectators for their little argument. She blushed in embarrassment while Baëkhyun looked mildly annoyed, his lips twitching.

“You’re a bunch of clowns,” he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

Chën wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and said, “You two are just the same as usual. That’s great.”

“Bickering like an old married couple,” Kāi cackled.

“Will you shut up? One day you’ll get payback, mark my words.” Baëkhyun crossed his arms, glowering at the younger demon who didn’t care about the rather obvious threat in his words.

Kāi simply shrugged. “Oh well, I’m ready for it. But first, I’ll annoy you some more.”

“I’m interested in seeing that,” Minji said.

“No, you’re not,” Baëkhyun sulked. “You’re on _my_ side.”

She grinned, putting a finger on her chin as she pretended to ponder over it. “Hm… am I?” she said teasingly, but she couldn’t maintain her façade for long and broke out in chuckles. “I’m just joking, no need to look so glum.” She leaned in and gave him a peck on his lips, inching closer to him so their bodies were touching.

“You’re lucky because I decided to forgive you.”

“Oh why thank you! That’s so generous, you mighty demon,” she said sarcastically. He narrowed his eyes at her, ignoring the other demons’ wheezing in the background.

“Minji, stop it right now, or else I’m going to punish you later,” he growled.

“Kinky,” Chën howled.

She blushed bright red and glared at him, but her embarrassment was impossible to hide at this point. “I swear, one day I’ll go mad with you demons around me,” she mumbled.

“Let her breathe for a second, you idiots,” Suhø thankfully interfered and glowered at Kāi who looked like he wanted to counter something, but the evil stare of the older demon made him change his mind. Minji wondered whether Suhø was the only person Kāi ever listened to. It certainly looked like it.

“Alright, fine,” Chanyeøl sighed, leaning back on the sofa. The demons finally calmed down.

“Didn’t you want to tell them something, Kāi?” Chën reminded him, and Kāi’s demeanor changed instantly. The grin on his lips vanished as red overtook the green of his iris. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room became heavy. Minji suspected that something was wrong, uneasily gnawing on her lower lip.

“That’s right, there’s something you two need to know,” Kāi said seriously. “I’ve already warned you about that blood mage who was after you in the forest, and I need to do it again.” His words were followed by a tense silence.

“I sensed faint traces of their magic when I was in the city center earlier. Their aura is very distinct—I’d recognize it anywhere. They seem to be lingering here. The problem is that I couldn’t pinpoint their current location. I’m not sure why they would stay in this area for so long, but I think they might be looking for you two,” Kāi went on. “If this really is the case, you should be very careful.”

Minji didn’t like that at all. Kāi never looked this serious… he joked around a lot and was careless. His deeming the blood mage as a serious threat didn’t sit right with her. It scared her. The cold fear building within her filtered through the bond and prompted Baëkhyun to glance at her. Wanting to comfort her, he moved his arm around her back and pulled her closer to him.

“Why is it that you demons are so cautious about a blood mage?” she asked. “What kind of power do they possess?”

“It differs from person to person and that’s why it’s so hard to know who you’re up against,” Suhø replied grimly. “Blood magic is versatile and the ones who use it don’t have any scruples. They’re worse than most demons even though they are human.”

“They gain their power by sacrificing humans and demons alike. It’s messed up,” Chanyeøl spat, his gaze filled with hate and disgust. “Some of them can read your mind, others can create the most realistic illusions I’ve ever seen. They’re strong enough to fool even demons.”

“I met one that was able to resurrect the dead for a brief period of time,” Chën muttered, shuddering. “I’m still not sure if it was an illusion or real. Seriously, you don’t ever want to meet a blood mage.”

“They don’t sound very… friendly,” Minji mumbled worriedly. This guy could be after them now, and it scared her terribly.

“Stop talking about this,” Baëkhyun snapped suddenly, making everyone look at him. He stared the other demons down with scarlet eyes. “You’re making her uneasy. Either talk about something else or leave!”

“Alright, alright. Calm down,” Suhø said and let out a sigh. “Kāi only wanted to warn you.”

“Make sure you stay cautious, okay?” Kāi reminded them. “We don’t know who we’re up against here… this could very well be connected to Lůhan’s death.”

* * *

After the demons had left later that evening, Minji made sure to lock the front door from the inside. She was aware that this would hardly keep a supernatural being out, nonetheless, it served to calm her down a bit. Baëkhyun was in the living room, playing one of his PS4 games, but she was sure that he sensed her unease.

In order not to worry him, she attempted to ignore her fearful thoughts. Unfortunately, this was easier said than done and ended in her sitting in the kitchen, staring at a social media feed on her phone. She mindlessly clicked through various posts, hoping they would distract her, but they didn’t.

All she could think of were the demons’ ominous words about the blood mage. She didn’t want to meet them, fearing that she would lose her life. If that came to pass, then Baëkhyun would die too and that was something she had to prevent at all cost. Perhaps it hadn’t been such a good idea to create a new bond with this threat still hanging over them.

She had been so happy when he had proposed it, and she hadn’t hesitated to agree because she loved him wholeheartedly. Had she thought about it rationally for a second, she would have probably decided to wait. Her worry mixed with guilt and made her chest feel heavy as a stone. This blood mage would most likely attack her first since she was the easier target. And being only human, she would die quickly.

The whole gravity of the situation weighed on her—how could she have been so stupid? She turned her wrist and stared at the gleaming star on her skin, running her finger over it. It had been selfish of her to want a new bond. She should have said no for _his_ sake. But… when he’d asked her to make a new one, she just couldn’t have denied him.

“Why is this so fucked up?” she muttered bitterly, burying her face in her hands. She felt like crying now.

“What’s the problem, sugar?” his voice interrupted her train of thoughts. Of course, he’d notice her inner turmoil; she couldn’t hide anything from him. She heaved a sigh and got up from the chair, turning to him.

His brows were furrowed and he studied her closely, attempting to find out why she was sad. He knew it was connected to their earlier conversation, but he wanted to hear it from her mouth. If he’d learned anything being around humans, then it was that they needed to speak about their sorrows in order to feel better.

Her silence prompted him to walk closer. He cupped her cheek, running his thumb over her skin. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

Minji didn’t know whether she should tell him or not. Would that really help? Would that worry him more? She glanced in his face and met his sky-blue eyes, getting lost in their depths. They were narrowed in concern.

Yes, she should tell him. Then at least he would know what she was thinking about… Her right hand encased her wrist, covering the demon mark up instinctively as another wave of guilt broker over her. She took a deep breath, and then finally told him.

“I’m sorry, Baëkhyun,” she whispered, lowering her head. “We shouldn’t have formed a new bond.”

Minji was met with deafening silence. She heard the clock ticking in the corner, heard the faint sounds of traffic outside.

“Why?” he asked. He sounded hurt, and that only made her feel worse.

“Isn’t it obvious? The blood mage is dangerous and he’s after us now. What if he finds us and… and what if I die? You’d lose your life too and I… I wouldn’t want that to happen,” she answered, her voice filled with emotions and breaking after every few words.

He stayed silent and gazed at her for a while before he took her hand. His fingers traveled to her wrist, caressing the mark that gleamed brighter at his touch. A pleasant tingling originated from it when he bowed down to place a tender kiss on it. Her eyes widened. His lips were soft on her skin, and she blushed when he gazed up at her.

“Don’t worry about me, Minji,” he said and straightened up, keeping her wrist in a gentle hold. “I knew what I was doing when I asked you to make a new bond. It wasn’t a decision I made on a whim, but something I thought about for a long time. Of course I am aware of the risk that it poses to my life.”

“Then why would you agree to it?”

He smiled faintly. “Because some things are worth taking the risk,” he replied. “I’ve seen you get in trouble countless times when we were separated, and without the bond’s connection, I never knew whether you were fine or not. It drove me insane, so I tried to stay near you as often as possible. But seeing you and being unable to touch you was difficult… eventually, I gave up.”

He sighed and moved in to hug her. As he wrapped his arms around her body, inviting her to cuddle up to him, her tension dissipated. Taking a deep breath, Minji relaxed and enjoyed his proximity, the familiar scent of ash and cinnamon enveloping her.

“I’ll say it again: Don’t worry about me, Minji. It’s true that the bond gave me a weakness, but I won’t be killed so easily. I won’t let anyone touch you either. If I get my hands on that blood mage, his days are over.” His voice was layered with a sinister emotion; deep hatred. He pressed her body into his chest possessively.

“Do you trust me?” he said lowly as his hand came to rest on the back of her head.

“Yes,” she answered and hugged his slim waist.

“Then you don’t have anything to worry about,” he said, satisfied with her answer.

He made it sound so easy, too easy. But still, his words and actions helped her in leaving her concerns behind. Talking about them with him had been the right thing to do.

They remained like this for a long while, seeking comfort within each other. Minji closed her eyes and held on to his black shirt. The more time passed, the more her sadness faded. She sensed his anger and hate recede as well, making way for more positive emotions. They bloomed in her heart like a flower field in springtime. It was amazing to share this kind of connection with someone. She smiled happily—her worry about the mage was forgotten.

“Come with me,” he said and let go of her body. He took her hand and led her to the living room where he sat down on the couch. She joined him and snuggled up to him like she usually did. Her body was nestled safely in between his arm and his chest where she felt the most comfortable. When she rested her head on his torso, she could even hear the thumps of his heart, steady and strong. They were a comforting lullaby to her ears.

“Aren’t you clingy?” he teased, nuzzling his face in her hair.

“Speak for yourself,” she mumbled. “Not like you mind it when I do this.”

He chuckled. “No, I don’t mind at all, my sugar.” Wrapping his arms around her body, he made sure to keep her as close to him as possible.

“Baëkhyun? Did you know that Halloween is coming up soon?” she asked and he shrugged disinterestedly.

“So what? Why are you telling me that?”

“Because I want to go to a party and we need a costume for you,” she said and inclined her head as she thought about it. “What about dressing up as a pirate?”

He laughed sarcastically, shaking his head. “Forget it.”

“Then what about a vampire? You could turn your eyes red for maximum effect.”

“As if I would pretend to be a _leech_ ,” he hissed offendedly, crossing his arms. “Those pests are disgusting.”

“A fairy.”

“No! What the fuck is wrong with you?” he snapped.

“An angel!” she swooned dreamily, but he destroyed the image in her head in a second.

“Fuck that!”

“Please, Hyunnie?”

“No.”

She sighed deeply, staring at the ceiling in deep thought. “But you have to wear something special, or else it won’t be any fun.”

“I’ll dress up as a demon,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“But you _are_ a demon! How does that make any sense?” she chuckled helplessly. “That would be the same as me pretending to be human…”

“I don’t see the problem.”

“Yes, I know that, you stubborn goat,” she grumbled, crossing her arms. “I’m always looking forward to Halloween each year, please don’t ruin it for me.”

“This human tradition is just plain weird to me. Why would you dress up as a supernatural being for one day? It’s not like you could fool any of us with cheap plastic horns and capes.”

“We’re not trying to fool you! It’s fun to dress up… and it’s also fun to make the costume! I love that,” she said. “I don’t know what to wear yet either. Maybe I could try an evil fairy… or a witch.”

“If you want to dress up so badly, why don’t you go for a demon, huh?” he asked, his voice sounding low and husky. He breathed a teasing kiss on her jugular. “That would be hot.” Her breath hitched. When he switched from annoying to seductive in a second, she always wondered how someone could be this _unpredictable_.

“It would be a possibility among many,” she said shakily as he continued to plant teasing kisses on her neck, causing her heartbeat to speed up in anticipation of his touches.

“No, it’s the only possibility,” he murmured persistently. “We would be the hottest demon couple at the party,” he then added while his hand sneakily slipped under her shirt, his fingers caressing her skin sensually. “Say yes, sugar. Come on,” he drawled, smirking when he kissed her again, licking over the skin of her neck.

That made her cave in. “F-Fine, I’ll do it,” she whispered before she tugged at his braid in a needy way. “Stop teasing now and get on with it!”

“You asked for it,” he smirked and claimed her lips.

* * *

The following day, Minji had a scheduled meeting with Park Jisung. She was supposed to interview him for Yixing and then write an article for their magazine. Since he was a popular singer, she was quite nervous. It was difficult to get an opportunity like this, so she prayed she wouldn’t mess up.

Last time, when she had interviewed Jackson Wang, she had gotten along with him so well, but she didn’t know what kind of person Jisung was. Maybe he wasn’t as easy to talk to… She had prepared questions for the interview and done some research on his career as a singer so she wouldn’t embarrass herself by accident.

Specifically for this occasion, she was wearing a cute dress and elegant pumps. Her black hair was braided and hung over her shoulder. Minji had even put on some more make-up than usual… and her efforts weren’t lost on Baëkhyun. He’d been staring at her skeptically the whole time from his spot in the doorway. Leaning against it with crossed arms, his gaze darkened when she added some more lipstick.

“You don’t need to do that, you know? We’re not going on a date,” he complained.

“But I need to be pretty when I meet a famous person,” she retorted, glancing at her reflection in the mirror and fixing her eyeliner.

“I don’t think so.”

“You’ve been in an awful mood all morning,” she sighed. “It’s just one small interview. After thirty minutes, I will be done and then we can still go on a date.”

“I’m going to accompany you,” he insisted. “You’re not meeting this guy on your own.”

Minji put her eyeliner back into the box with her other make-up and turned around to him. “You act like he’s a serial killer or something. He’s just a singer, Baëkhyun.”

“So?”

Heaving a sigh, her shoulders slumped. “Alright fine, you may accompany me. But only to the building, okay? The interview I want to do alone.”

“We’ll see about that,” he mumbled lowly as she passed him.

They left the house and drove to the address that Yixing had provided her with. Minji wasn’t surprised to end up at a large corporate building with countless stories. It was located in the middle of Seoul in a rather popular area. She parked her car, entering the lobby with Baëkhyun in tow.

Minji wasn’t sure why, but the demon had dressed up for today as well, wearing an elegant black shirt that suited him perfectly along with black jeans. Of course, he also wore his beloved silver chain that she had gifted him, and with that, he garnered many curious looks from the employees.

They walked to the reception desk and she introduced herself, getting visitor passes for both of them. The security personnel let them inside without issues and they entered one of the lifts to reach the floor where Jisung’s office was.

She was very nervous at this point, constantly fidgeting with her purse. “Minji, are you seriously nervous because of some dumb singer?” Baëkhyun growled, looking pissed. “He’s not worth the trouble.”

“I… I just… am scared to mess up.”

“You’re not messing up,” was all he said. He took her hand as he fell silent, and she knew that this was his way of offering comfort to her. Gazing at their intertwined fingers, a smile broke out on her lips. Maybe it wasn’t so bad to have him accompany her.

The lift reached its destination and they exited it, walking down a long hallway until they came to stand in front of a door. It was Park Jisung’s office. Minji glanced at Baëkhyun.

“I’ll do the rest alone, alright?” she smiled. “Thank you for accompanying me.”

The demon was frozen like a statue and glared at the door, suspicion written all over his face. His gorgeous blue eyes became red. She sensed his irritation and wondered what was up all of a sudden.

“You’re not going into that room alone,” he hissed lowly, pulling her closer to him.

“Why? What is it?” she asked.

“Whoever is waiting for you inside is a demon,” he answered. “I’m sensing the aura of an incubus.”

Her jaw dropped. “W-What?” she gasped. “Didn’t Yixing know about this?”

“Probably not,” Baëkhyun muttered. “I’m guessing he’s never met him in person.”

His red eyes narrowed when he sent her a burning stare. “This kind of creature can be very alluring. He’s likely going to try something with you. Don’t listen to anything he says, okay?”

“I won’t,” she said, having changed her opinion about wanting to go alone. She held his hand tightly and was reluctant when she knocked on the door. Hearing a voice from inside telling her to enter, she opened the door and walked into Jisung’s office with Baëkhyun.

Her eyes darted around restlessly until they fell on a man standing by the windows. He was very handsome, had silky golden hair and green eyes that sparkled mischievously. “Good afternoon,” he said politely, his gaze lingering on the couple’s intertwined hands for a tad too long.

“Hello, Mr. Park. I’m the journalist sent by Mr. Zhang,” Minji explained briefly. Her heartbeats were faster than usual, her hands clammy. “Thank you for your invitation.”

His melodious laughter was a lullaby to her ears. She found herself drawn to him, liking the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. “You don’t need to thank me, my dear. Please call me Jisung, okay?” he said and winked at her.

Minji went on to introduce them both to Jisung, trying not to get distracted by him. He looked and acted like a regular human and if Baëkhyun hadn’t warned her, she wouldn’t have seen through his flawless disguise. Minji already felt the effect he had on her. The inexplainable attraction to him weirded her out.

Baëkhyun’s eye never left Jisung. He followed his every movement when they sat down in the armchairs near the window. The way this creep stared at her irritated him. He’d give Läy a mouthful later for sending her here.

“Now, shall we start?” Jisung smiled. “What would you like to know about me, dear?”

He made her visit sound a lot more personal than it actually was. Embarrassed by his intrusive stare, she gazed down at her notes to distract herself, picking the first question she saw.

“I’d like to ask what your thoughts were as you came up with your most recent song. The lyrics sound quite interesting and can be interpreted in different ways.”

“Indeed they can,” he smirked. His eyes flashed red, and she sensed his magic, felt it rain down on her. She struggled to concentrate but all she could focus on was him. Everything else seemed to blur, shapes becoming unrecognizable. She fought against it, but she was smothered by his magic. Only the burning of her mark that warned her of danger had her snap out of it. She took a deep breath, returning to reality.

“Stop that, you bastard,” Baëkhyun growled. “I know what you’re trying to do to her.”

“I have no idea what you mean,” Jisung smiled innocently. “Minji, is this rude person your boyfriend? Why don’t you break up with him, huh? Not to imply anything, but I’m single right now.”

Again, there was this weird power forcing her to look at him. She couldn’t help but notice once more how handsome he was—but she didn’t care about that. He made her uncomfortable with his strange intrusive magic.

Baëkhyun immediately blocked Jisung’s magic off by using his own to shield her. He glowered at the other demon, not wanting to deal with his crap a second longer.

“I warned you,” he threatened. “Do it again and you’re going to regret it.”

Jisung’s smile slipped. “Alright, alright. Calm down,” he sighed. “I was just having some fun.”

The atmosphere was tense, and Minji cringed. This wasn’t how she had imagined this interview to turn out. She was glad she hadn’t come here alone.

Baëkhyun thankfully was unaffected by the incubus. His light magic permeated the air in the room, invisible yet ready to strike whenever he wanted. While it gave her a sense of safety, Jisung on the other hand looked nervous. The tables had turned on him now. He’d been driven into a corner, so he decided to just get the interview over with to get rid of the annoying light demon.

Minji stayed polite when she went through her questions, even though she now had a strong dislike for Jisung. She hated it when someone wanted to play around with her. If this meeting hadn’t been connected to her job, she would have yelled at him at this point, but she needed to preserve the reputation of Yixing’s company. After all, getting to interview a famous person was rare. They needed more opportunities like this one.

She did her best to do some small talk, asking Jisung about his plans for Halloween and sharing hers. The thirty minutes that were planned for the interview went by painfully slowly. She constantly sensed Baëkhyun’s sizzling anger, and she constantly saw Jisung’s scowl.

At the end of the interview, she wasted no time to say goodbye to Jisung and vowed to herself never to talk to him again. Baëkhyun shot the incubus another threatening glare as he accompanied her outside.

* * *

As soon as the couple had left his office, Jisung grabbed his smartphone and went through his contact list, his eyes getting stuck on the name _Hyungsik_.

“Why are you calling, Jisung?” a rough voice said, not caring to greet him politely, but Jisung was already used to this kind of attitude of him.

“I want to repay that favor I owe you,” Jisung said. “You mentioned that you were looking for a light demon and a human. I just had someone like that in my office. Not sure if it was the same couple though. Those two were bonded.”

Now Jisung had his undivided attention. “What did they look like?” Hyungsik asked interestedly.

“Demon has white hair with braids and the human woman black hair.”

“It’s them,” Hyungsik laughed. “I can’t believe you found them! Tell me everything you know.”

“That girl mentioned a Halloween party where she wants to go,” Jisung said. “Maybe you can find her there. Her name is Lee Minji. Perhaps that’ll help in digging up some info, finding out where she lives, and so on.”

“Good. Consider your favor repaid,” Hyungsik said. Jisung couldn’t see him, but he didn’t need to in order to know that the blood mage was grinning. He was pretty much a creep who Jisung tended to avoid whenever possible, so he was glad to be rid of him from now on.

“Why are you so hellbent on finding them?” Jisung sighed. “Would be too much of a hassle for me. That demon is aggressive as fuck. Can’t even take a little joke.”

“Demons and humans can’t mingle,” Hyungsik replied. “It’s what we believe in.”

“So you are still working for _him_.”

“We share one goal and we’re working together to achieve it. We don’t tolerate weak demons who side with humans. They’re below us and they should be treated accordingly.”

“If you say so,” Jisung muttered annoyedly. “What are you planning this time, huh? Making another mess? Don’t call me next time you need someone to get rid of the dead bodies.”

“No, this time I’ll take care of it on my own,” he said sternly. “I’ve been after them for a while. This is something personal.”

“Then I’d say their days are numbered,” Jisung muttered, shuddering when he heard the blood mage’s deranged laughter. “Almost makes me feel sorry for them...”


	34. Addicted

Minji heaved a sigh of relief after they left the building. Finally, that disastrous interview was over—she would do her best to forget about it. Baëkhyun seemed to think the same, walking next to her with an irritated scowl on his face that prompted several people in their vicinity to cower away from him.

“What an asshole,” Baëkhyun growled.

“Calm down, we won’t see him again,” she said. She certainly wouldn’t be back for another interview. “Baëkhyun, you know what? Why don’t we turn this into a date now? Since we’re in the middle of town and it’s only three o’clock… there’s plenty of time left to do something.”

“Sounds good,” he nodded. “Where do you want to go?”

“How about the shopping mall over there?” she asked and pointed at a nearby building that was swarmed with humans. It was loud and colorful—everything that he hated.

“Minji,” he sighed. “Really?”

She smiled, taking his hand and pulling him along excitedly. “Yes! It’s going to be fun, I promise! They have many amazing shops in there… and I’m sure you’d love the arcade on the top floor.”

Minji wanted to spend the rest of the day doing something fun. She was well aware that he preferred to avoid other humans, but she also knew that his love for videogames probably would make him like the arcade.

And indeed, her comment had sparked his attention. He caught up to her and walked alongside her when they crossed an intersection, heading straight for the mall. It had several floors and was filled with small shops and boutiques. Minji’s smile widened. With all the chaos going on in her life lately, she hadn’t had time to go shopping, and she was tempted to head into the first shop she saw.

It was a cute little jewelry store that offered pretty necklaces and earrings. Her feet became rooted to the ground when she peered through the shop window, and Baëkhyun was forced to stop. Looking over her shoulder, he saw different kinds of jewelry. It didn’t come as a surprise to him when she took his arm to guide him into the shop. He could have stopped her, but since she seemed to be happy about being here, he didn’t.

Whenever he sensed her happiness through their bond, he couldn’t refuse her. Why would he let disappointment taint the joy in her heart? Especially after their strange encounter with the incubus, he’d noticed her unease and he wanted to do something about it. So he went along with her and held in his complaints. However, that didn’t stop him from sending the other humans in the shop evil glares.

Minji didn’t notice any of them, too busy looking at the silver necklaces. She considered buying one of them, but in the end decided against it. Moving on to the array of colorful earrings, her eyes darted over them.

Baëkhyun stood behind her and hugged her, resting his hands on her stomach. “Did you see something you like?” he said.

“Well, yes, but I can’t decide what to buy,” she mumbled absentmindedly. Her gaze got stuck on a necklace with a blue flower pendant. Its color was identical to that of his gorgeous eyes. “Maybe this one?”

“Why not?” he replied. “Would go well with your dress. I like what you’re wearing today, by the way.”

Her cheeks warmed, and part of her was glad he couldn’t see her face right now. But he certainly felt the surge of happiness that erupted within her, smirking to himself.

“Thank you,” she replied. “I’m surprised you’d like cute dresses. Doesn’t seem like your style.”

“Not mine, but yours,” he said amusedly. “They suit you, sugar.”

“You’re a charmer,” she breathed. Hearing his quiet chuckles, she moved on to the next display, this one showing several different rings. She wasn’t particularly interested in those, but her eyes scanned over them regardless.

One of the shop’s employees noticed the couple and hurried over to them. “Hello,” she said and smiled kindly. “Are you looking for wedding rings?”

Caught off guard by this, Minji’s eyes widened comically. She was at a loss for words and stared at the other woman with her mouth hanging open.

“No,” Baëkhyun replied before Minji could even find her voice. “We’re already married.” His devilish grin caused her to blush bright red. _Of course he would say that_.

“O-Oh, I see,” the employee said sheepishly. “Then is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Well, now that you’re here…” Baëkhyun said and pointed at the necklace with the blue pendant she’d been eyeing earlier. “I want to buy this.”

The employee nodded and took the necklace, walking to the counter. Minji’s wide-eyed gaze moved to Baëkhyun. “Um… are you serious?”

“You wanted it, don’t deny it,” he grinned, ruffling her hair. “I know you well enough, sugar.”

Baëkhyun went to the checkout, paid for it, and then they left the shop. He helped her put the necklace on, the blue flower sparkling in the artificial light inside the mall.

“Thank you,” she said and hugged him, giving him a peck on his lips.

“Don’t mention it.” He looked happy, his usual scowl gone. Instead, he wore a relaxed smile, his eyes the color of the sky.

The mall was filled with people at this hour, so it was somewhat crowded. In order not to lose each other, Minji took his hand while they strolled through the building. She occasionally stopped to glance at the shop windows, taking her time. Between the many humans in the mall, she sometimes spotted a supernatural creature that was invisible to everyone else. It was mostly small demons. They scurried away when they noticed Baëkhyun, disappearing from sight. While their presence had scared her at the beginning, she had grown used to them now. Most of the time, she didn’t care they were there.

Minji stopped when she noticed something interesting. “Look! They’re selling Halloween accessories!” she gushed and ran to the display in front of a shop nearby.

Baëkhyun followed her, lacking her enthusiasm as he scrutinized the cheap plastic things that were sold here. Not only did these humans offer ridiculous demon horns, but they also sold red tridents and witches’ brooms. The plastic vampire teeth looked so stupid he rolled his eyes. Why humans bothered to celebrate Halloween was a mystery to him. They were probably jealous of every supernatural being ever. _Typical_.

“Minji, what do you want with those horns?” he asked suspiciously, scrunching his nose in disgust.

“Huh? I thought they would go well with my costume,” she said, holding a pair of red curled horns. “ _You_ were the one who told me to go for a demon costume, remember?”

“Yeah, but those are ugly.”

“Always so straightforward,” she mumbled, suppressing her laughter. He did look offended when he browsed through the various items, holding up a pair of feathery angel wings with two fingers. He acted like they were a stinky rat or something, and his behavior made her snort.

“Oh, so you changed your mind?” she teased. “Hyunnie wants to be an angel now?”

He threw the wings back like he had burned himself, his lips curving down. “Eww, no. Angels are fucking disgusting. They’re nice and kind and helpful.” Even though he listed positive traits, he somehow managed to make them sound horrendous. She hid her grin behind her hand.

“Yes, how dare they be kind! That’s outrageous!” she added.

Baëkhyun raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. “Are you being sarcastic?”

“No, why would you think that?”

He wasn’t convinced, but he let her off the hook and busied himself with inspecting the witch hats right next to the bloody plastic knives.

“Well, I don’t think I’ll find anything decent here,” she sighed. “Shall we go to the arcade now?”

“Yeah.”

They left the shop behind and took the escalators to the top floor where the arcade was. The entrance was decorated with flashing neon signs and from inside, music and the chattering of people could be heard. Upon entering, Minji was overwhelmed by the countless blinking lights she saw everywhere. She hadn’t been in here before and was surprised at how many arcade games they had put into the hall.

They walked around for a bit, looking at all the different kinds of games until Baëkhyun had found something that he found interesting. It was one of those games that required you to use a gun to shoot at a monitor, and she honestly wasn’t too happy about trying it. However, since it was meant to be played by two people, and Baëkhyun was already looking at her expectantly, she wouldn’t get around it.

“Do we really have to do this?” she whined and eyed the plastic gun in her hand. It was connected to the monitor with a wire and had a trigger just like a real gun.

“Yes,” he grinned as he scrolled through the different options for the game.

“You know what? Why don’t we make a deal?” she asked when she laid eyes on a way more appealing game. It looked more girly than this one, and it would surely be fun to try it...

“You shouldn’t make deals with demons,” he smirked and winked at her. She flushed.

“Baëkhyun, stop being weird!” she muttered. “I just had an idea, okay?”

“Then tell me,” he chuckled.

“We should take turns in deciding which games we want to play! That way we’ll both have fun,” she said.

He doubtfully raised his eyebrows, knowing that there most likely was a catch. But in the end, his impatience to play the first game won and so he agreed.

“Fine, we’ll do it that way,” he said, and she was happy with that, inwardly already looking forward to seeing him try the game she had seen. It would probably make him look hilarious, and she always liked it when he got flustered over something.

So she complied and played the shooting game with him, of course losing right in the first round. He was better at aiming than her and got all the points for himself. In the end, she was faced with his smug grin as he bragged about his win.

“Now it’s my turn,” Minji said, ignoring his confidence and arrogance to pull him over to the game she had been eyeing the whole time. It was a dancing game with several arrows on the ground that you needed to step on at the right time. Seeing it, Baëkhyun heaved a sigh.

“Minji, what the hell? This looks boring,” he nagged.

“It’s not boring,” she countered. “This is going to be fun! Let me just pick a song and then we’ll start.” Minji went through the song list and picked the cutest one she could find; “Party” by Girls’ Generation. Smirking evilly, she started the game and went to her spot next to Baëkhyun, getting ready to dance.

As soon as he heard the first tunes of the song, he scoffed and glared at her. “What is this?! Do you want to make a fool of me?”

“No,” she giggled unconvincingly, keeping her eyes on the tv. She stepped on the arrows on the ground and collected points for herself while Baëkhyun just stood and stared at her.

“Hey look, I’m winning!” she said, and that finally got him to react.

“No, you’re not!” he retorted and began to join her, furiously stepping on the arrows. He was so fast that he even managed to catch up to her, gaining points rapidly. In her astonishment, she missed a few steps, and that allowed him to overtake her. Eventually, she gave up and decided that it was much more entertaining to watch him dance. Even though the song was very girly and not his style at all, he managed to impress her with his fluid movements. By the time the song ended, she was gaping at him and clapped.

“Wow, Hyunnie! That was amazing!” she gushed. He looked at her for a moment, remembering that he’d had an audience, and awkwardly cleared his throat.

“Of course it was. Everything I do is amazing.”

“Yeah, I’m actually starting to believe that,” she said and nodded. “What do you want to try next?”

“That thing looks interesting,” he said and pointed at a claw crane. The kind of machine that only stole your money without actually giving anything in return. There were many interesting prizes hidden behind glass, but Minji doubted that they would win anything. Still, her stubborn boyfriend wouldn’t let himself be stopped by her. He’d already dropped a few coins into the machine and tried to get one of the prizes.

“Baëkhyun, that won’t work,” she said just when the crane dropped the prize it had grabbed. “You’re just wasting your money on this.”

He didn’t listen and tried three more times until he was fed up and kicked the machine in anger. “Dumb piece of junk,” he said, letting out his frustration.

“Let’s do something that’s actually entertaining,” Minji said and took his hand to pull him over to another game that was hidden in a corner. It was a small karaoke booth.

“So you want to hear my _gorgeous_ voice, huh? Understandable,” the arrogant demon drawled, leaning against the wall as he watched her pick a song.

“Um, excuse me?” she said in disbelief at his unwavering confidence. He sure was something… “I highly doubt that _you_ can sing. You’ll probably sound like a dying car or something.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Now she wasn’t so sure anymore given his endless confidence, and she wondered whether she might have been wrong in her assumption.

“You can’t sing,” she muttered while she chose a song.

“Yes, I can,” he smirked.

“No.”

“Yes!”

“You’re driving me insane,” she sighed.

“Glad to be of service.”

“Shut your mouth and take your microphone, you silly demon.”

“Fine, you silly human.”

She had it with his shenanigans and ignored his quiet snickering as she started the karaoke song. It was “Oh my god” by (G)I-DLE, one of her personal favorites. She figured that a song by a girl group would make things more difficult for him, but when the first lyrics popped up on the screen, she was in for a surprise.

He hadn’t lied, and he hadn’t exaggerated either. Her jaw dropped and she missed the first part of the song because she was busy staring at him. The light of the monitor reflected in his eyes as they followed the lyrics. He concentrated on the music while he created his own version of the song.

_Nothing can pull me away from your embrace  
I'm not going anywhere  
Here we go again, I hear the sound of pain  
Flowing slowly through my veins_

His voice was sweet as honey, yet turned low and husky at just the right moments. She was entranced by it, couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. Never had she expected him of all people to have a secret talent for singing. It baffled her, and she regretted not having taken him to karaoke sooner. She didn’t need to see the screen since she knew the lyrics by heart, so she kept her eyes on him as she joined in. Her soft voice mixed with his and created the perfect blend.

_You got me losing my mind tonight (I'm losing my mind)  
Toxic, toxic  
I tell my friends that I'm fine, it's a lie (I'm doing real fine)_

He shot her a sly look, meeting her eyes and flustering her. His arm snaked around her back and pulled her in while he held the microphone in his other hand. Did she only imagine it or had his voice just turned a tad lower? She took a shuddering breath and sang the next lines, though she was distracted by his touch and his voice.

_Losing all my senses when you pull me close  
I don't know how to let go of this passion  
So just burn me with your loving  
I can't control this desire_

Minji forgot everything around them. They sang the rest of the song in a duet, his deep voice being a contrast to hers. She could listen to it for hours and not get tired of it, enjoying this moment wholeheartedly. As the last tunes of the song played and the screen switched back to the menu, Minji was in a trance, still staring at him like he was an angel.

He noticed her dazed look and took the microphone from her hands. “Hello, sugar? You still alive?” he teased and bopped her nose with his index finger. “I mean, it’s only natural that my extraordinary talent would blow you away. I’m not surprised.” Arrogantly raising his chin, he put the microphones down, and that was exactly how long she took to finally react to his words.

“I love your voice,” she whispered. “What the fuck, Baëkhyun? Why didn’t you tell me you can sing?!”

He shrugged. “It never came up.”

“You know what? Let’s try another song,” she said, and he didn’t say no to that. They ended up spending another hour at the arcade just to sing together, and Minji vowed to herself to come here again one day. 

* * *

In the following days, Minji started to make plans for Halloween with her friends Jisoo and Chaeyoung who had been exchanging texts with her about this topic for a while. They were all looking forward to it since it was a highlight for them every year.

Her phone beeped, alerting her to a new text from her friend Chaeyoung who along with Jisoo had been asking to meet up. She hurried towards the phone on her desk, not paying attention to where she walked, and promptly stumbled over a box she’d left on the floor earlier. With a strangled cry, she fell over it and sprawled on the ground.

“Ouch,” she grumbled and got up slowly, clutching her aching knee. Not a second later, Baëkhyun arrived in the room and glared at her, heaving a deep sigh when he saw the knocked-over box.

“I’m going to put you in bubble wrap,” he threatened. “Stop being clumsy.”

“Sorry,” she grimaced.

“Come here,” he mumbled and swiftly picked her up to carry her into the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around his neck, embarrassed over her clumsiness. He looked mildly annoyed and she couldn’t blame him. Setting her down on a chair, he went to the freezer and got a pack of ice, handing it to her.

She put it on her aching knee and heaved a sigh. “I’m really sorry.”

“Be more careful, sugar,” he said softly and sat down on a chair next to her. “And I was serious earlier. If it keeps happening, you’ll be equipped with bubble wrap.”

She glanced at him, noting that he was smirking mockingly and flushed in embarrassment. “Stop it, I was just not paying attention,” she replied. “Don’t make fun of me, you evil demon.”

“You’re fun to tease,” he laughed. “Look, your cheeks are red!”

“Baëkhyun! Stop!” she squeaked and squirmed around on her chair.

“You’re a tomato.”

“Shut up! Don’t look!” she countered and then she did the only thing she could think of, using her magic to turn off the light in the kitchen. They were shrouded in darkness, Baëkhyun’s silence conveying his astonishment, but he soon began to chuckle. The light turned back on.

“Doesn’t work with me, but nice try,” he smirked.

She pouted, crossing her arms. “Yeah, I noticed.”

“Why did you even fall over the box in the first place? Are you blind?”

“No, I wanted to get to my phone as fast as possible,” she answered and her eyes lit up. “That reminds me, I’m planning to meet my friends later today. Haven’t seen them in a while.”

His eyes narrowed instantly. “I don’t want you to go alone,” he said and took her hand. “You’re not safe right now—as long as we haven’t gotten rid of that threat, you should be careful.”

“We’re just going to meet at my friend’s house, it’s nothing special,” she said, hoping to ease his worries.

“Yeah, but… think about what happened to Lůhan’s human girlfriend. She was killed out of the blue,” he muttered. She could see in his eyes that Lůhan’s girlfriend wasn’t the only person on his mind.

“Baëkhyun, what supernatural being would dare attack me in broad daylight?”

“Some don’t care about being discovered,” he growled and stared at her. “You’re not going alone. Think about what Kāi said. Somewhere out there is a person who might be looking for us, and I don’t want to take chances.”

“I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You’re never a burden,” he said. “I’ll stay close by and I’ll also bring you home afterward. Problem solved.”

* * *

Hours later, Minji met up with her friends to make preparations for their Halloween costumes. They did this every year since sharing their ideas and working on their costumes together was a lot of fun. Minji and Chaeyoung had been invited to Jisoo’s flat this time, bringing everything they wanted to use for their outfits along with them. They sat down in the living room where they had enough space to spread their countless accessories and clothes out.

“So, what’s your plan this year?” Chaeyoung asked curiously, taking a look at the accessories that Minji had brought along.

“I’ll dress up as a demon,” Minji said. Jisoo’s jaw dropped and she stared at her with wide eyes before she began to laugh loudly.

“That’s so funny,” she giggled. “I think I know who put you up to it.”

“Yeah, well… he convinced me,” Minji replied and cleared her throat.

“What’s he planning to wear?”

Minji heaved a sigh and shook her head in annoyance. “He’s going to be a demon too. Very original, right?”

Jisoo snorted, her shoulders shaking as she failed to hold in her laughter. “Yes, very original!”

Chaeyoung looked confused, not understanding what was so funny about that. “Hm, he does have an unhealthy obsession with demons. One time, he tried to convince me that he _is_ a demon. That was so silly of him,” she chimed in. “Your boyfriend is weird.”

Jisoo and Minji exchanged a highly amused glance since they both found her cluelessness funny. “He’s not weird, he’s special,” Minji corrected her.

“Yeah, that’s one way to look at it,” Chaeyoung shrugged. “His hairstyle is special for sure… I wonder how many times he bleached his hair to get this pure shade of white. And does he really take the time to braid it every single day?”

“Ask him next time you see him,” Minji giggled, already imagining his exasperated scowl. “What will you two wear at Halloween?”

“I want to try a zombie make-up tutorial I’ve seen on YouTube,” Chaeyoung said. “That means I only need to rip some holes in my clothes and maybe add red paint for the blood. That’s it! Easy costume.”

“Yeah, sounds convenient,” Jisoo replied. “Since I already was a witch last year, I thought I could try being a ghost now.”

“You’re going to hide under a white blanket?” Minji wheezed, almost dying in laughter at the idea of that.

“Minji, no! That would be so cringy and childish,” she sighed. “I wanted to use an old-fashioned white dress and wear fitting make-up!”

“I like my idea more. I’d even lend you a blanket.”

“Typical Minji.”

* * *

It was Saturday evening, and Minji had already spent over an hour in her bedroom, getting ready for the Halloween party. She’d planned her costume with great care this year because she wanted to impress a certain someone. A giddy, nervous feeling had settled in her stomach and her hands had become a little shaky, making it a challenge for her to apply the eyeliner properly. She needed some patience for this part, but eventually, she succeeded and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Now she looked like a more sinister version of her usual self like she would imagine a female demon. She just needed to convince Baëkhyun to wear a pair of demon horns too, and then they would be good to go.

He was sitting in the kitchen and seemed to be bored. Minji noted that while he had dressed up for the occasion, his clothes didn’t look all that different from what he’d usually wear. He’d chosen black leather pants coupled with a black jacket, and he also wore a belt around his waist. It was a fitting outfit for a Halloween party, but still, if he wore a pair of horns, it would look more convincing.

When she entered the kitchen, he got up and glanced at her curiously. His lips twitched in amusement while he took in her costume. “Your idea of a female demon is… interesting,” he remarked.

Her clothes looked similar to a Victorian dress with the difference that it ended above her knees and was ripped at the ends. She’d put on a black choker and elegant gloves to match with the rest of her outfit, a pair of black high heels and dramatic make-up. Her long hair fell over her shoulders in soft waves. To top it off, she wore horns on her head to leave no doubts as to what being she wanted to portray.

He chuckled, poking the tips of her horns with his finger. “Cute,” he teased.

“It’s not supposed to be cute,” she pouted, already not happy with his reaction. “I’m trying to be an evil demon!”

“Mhm, you’re very evil, sugar,” he smirked and leaned in to steal a brief kiss. “I’m terrified.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Baëkhyun, don’t mock me! I’m serious about this,” she grumbled and sulkily put her hands on her hips.

“You’re like a little kitten trying to imitate a panther,” he said, holding in a grin.

“I put a lot of work into it,” she sulked. “Don’t you like it?”

“I do like it,” he said huskily. “And I won’t share you with anyone tonight. You’re all mine.”

Her heart skipped a beat, the sudden possessives in his eyes hitting her unexpectedly. He dipped his head, getting close enough for her to see the red sprinkles in his iris. “You are going to be the prettiest demon on that party,” he said and pecked the corner of her lips before he straightened his back and watched her blushing profusely.

“Thank you,” she said, finally satisfied and smiling at him. “Please do me a favor and wear this,” she added and held out a pair of horns to him that he regarded with raised eyebrows and a mocking smirk.

“No. That’s ridiculous.”

“But you’re a demon!”

“Yep,” he replied teasingly, highly amused at her growing exasperation.

“Baëkhyun! Please wear them!” she insisted and waved them in front of his face.

“I don’t see why I should.”

“Demons have horns!”

“Not where I come from,” he replied sassily and crossed his arms.

She faltered. “W-What… but you’re from… huh?” she stuttered before her eyes narrowed. “Well, where I come from, demons have horns, so you have to wear this! And also, you can’t deny that Suhø has horns!”

“No, Suhø has weirdly styled _hair_ ,” Baëkhyun growled. He heaved a deep sigh, slowly coming to realize that she was serious about this, and seeing how well she’d dressed up for this occasion, he found it hard to decline.

“Hand the damn horns over. I’ll wear them,” he grumbled and took them, walking over to the mirror to adjust them. They were curled and black with red tips, and looked just like hers. She’d found this style the best and so she had bought two pairs.

“They look good on you,” she breathed and blushed when he winked at her.

“Anything looks good on me, sugar,” he drawled arrogantly.

She rolled her eyes but had to admit to herself that this was true. However, she didn’t tell him because his ego was big enough already. He chuckled lowly and approached her to tilt her chin up with his finger.

“Something is still missing, though,” he said, making her wonder what he was talking about. “I have to make sure everyone knows we’re a couple, so no one dares to flirt with you.”

He pulled a silver chain from his pocket, identical to his, and carefully draped it on her nose and cheekbones, securing it behind her ears. “Perfect,” he smirked.

“Should have known you had an ace up your sleeve,” she said, finding it hard to get used to the accessory. She scrunched her nose. “This feels weird.”

“Last time you wore it, you were ecstatic,” he countered smugly.

“Huh, I don’t remember?”

“Well, you were drunk…”

“Oh.”

“It was entertaining, in a weird way,” he replied amusedly and shrugged.

Her eyes got stuck on his white braids that dangled over his shoulder. She brushed over them with her fingers, noting that they were a bit messy.

“You know what, before we leave I want to fix these.” He was confused at first when she guided him to the couch and made him sit down on it.

“Minji, what are you even talking ab—”

She cut him off with a kiss, smiling when his eyes widened. “Shush. Just sit and wait.”

And in his puzzlement, he did just that. She vanished for a moment and returned with a comb. Then she sat next to him and opened all of his short braids one after the other. Raking the comb through his white hair, she smoothened the strands and continued doing so until they were soft and silky.

“I’m jealous of your hair,” she mumbled. “It’s so pretty.” Her movements stopped, and she promptly earned herself a stare.

“Why did you stop? Keep going!” he complained.

“So demanding,” she chuckled and rolled her eyes.

She continued brushing his hair for another minute, but since she didn’t want to be late to the party, she set the comb down after that. Skillfully, she divided the strands of hair into even parts and began to braid them the way he usually wore them. Now they looked neater than before. She assumed he had forgotten to redo the braids this morning, and she noted to herself that she hardly ever saw him without them. Only when he was done showering, he tended to wear them open for a while.

“From now on, you’ll always do my hair,” he decided.

“Oh? You love it that much?” she giggled, fondly smiling at him. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t receive an answer to that, but she saw the way his cheeks were just a tad pinker than before. Anyone else wouldn’t have noticed, but she did.

Minji finished his braids and secured them at the ends so they wouldn’t come undone.

“Now you look amazing,” she said. He was about to open his mouth, but before he could say anything, she added, “Yes, yes. You always look amazing. No need to remind me.”

“Good,” he answered smugly.


	35. Dawn of a Nightmare

_Hyungsik hadn’t needed long to locate them thanks to Jisung’s tip. With the human’s name, he had found her address fairly quickly._

_The sky was turning dark as the sun set. Streetlamps illuminated the quiet neighborhood. He walked closer to the building, feeling traces of light magic in the air._

_Since Hyungsik knew that he would alert them both to his presence if he came too close, he stayed at a distance and observed from afar. This way, none of them would sense any danger. They’d be in blissful obliviousness to him stalking them, and that would allow him to strike when they least expected it. He planned on using their biggest weakness against them and he was sure to win._

* * *

Baëkhyun and Minji were early when they arrived at the nightclub. The Halloween party that took place tonight had drawn in lots of people who were dressed up more or less fittingly to the occasion. The club was a popular place and getting tickets had been difficult for Minji, but Jisoo had gotten lucky and saved two for Minji and Baëkhyun. Jisoo would come a bit later and bring a group of friends to party together.

The nightclub consisted of several large halls. One of them contained a bar and seating areas where Minji and Baëkhyun planned to get drinks to start off the night. The furniture, walls, and floors were completely black and illuminated by ruby lights on the ceiling. Halloween decorations covered the tables and the bar.

Minji excitedly led Baëkhyun to one of the tables at the side of the hall where they would be a bit farther away from the other humans. She knew that he didn’t like them. His expression turned sour whenever one came too close or _dared_ to touch him. He was drawing attention with his looks as was normally the case, but this time, the same applied to her. Minji had put effort into her costume and it was noticed. The only thing that annoyed her a bit was the chain on her face. She had no idea how he wore that kind of thing every single day. It drove her crazy.

They sat down, and Baëkhyun smirked when he saw her pulling at it. He cupped her face with his hands, leaning his forehead against hers. “What are you doing, sugar? Leave it be,” he chuckled. “You’re messing it up.”

“I’m not used to being a demon. Don’t blame me,” she replied cheekily.

“Do you need some help, huh?” he mumbled while he rearranged the chain so it wasn’t askew anymore. “Now it’s better.”

“Didn’t know you were such a perfectionist,” she teased.

“Says the one who took half an hour to fix my braids,” he countered, raising his eyebrows. “You’re one to talk, sugar.”

“You totally loved it, though. You even told me to do it again!”

He put his chin on his hand and watched her, a pout on his lips. “No. I don’t recall that.”

“Baëkhyun, I swear. Don’t play that card now.” His mocking grin demanded to be wiped off his face, and she already knew how.

“Well, I’m not surprised your memory is that bad… how old are you again?” she asked.

“Minji, how would I know?”

“You don’t even know??” she gaped at him.

“Demons don’t care about their age. We just stop counting when we reach one hundred, I guess.”

She found that so weird that she began to laugh, her brown eyes sparkling cheerfully. “You sure are strange.”

“Special,” he corrected smugly.

“Mhm, yeah. That too,” she smiled. “Hyunnie, would you do me a favor?” Her sweet as honey voice and the use of that dreaded pet name were telltale signs to him that she was about to make him do something annoying.

The demon sighed deeply. “Tell me what it is,” he grumbled.

“Can you get us something to drink at the bar, please?” she asked, batting her lashes at him and giving the sweetest smile she could muster (which probably looked unfitting given her current outfit and make-up).

“Why?” he whined. “I don’t want to.”

“I said please,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, so?”

“Ugh, you are one stubborn man,” she muttered. “Okay, so how about this: If you get drinks for us, then I’ll make a strawberry shortcake for you tomorrow. Sound good?”

He paused after hearing that and looked as if he was contemplating it, but he didn’t agree yet.

“It’ll be all yours, okay? You can eat the entire thing _alone_ ,” she added.

He grinned, looking satisfied with that. “Deal,” he replied. “What kind of drink do you want, sugar?”

“I don’t know, surprise me,” she said. He got up and walked towards the bar, dodging several drunk humans along the way.

While she waited for him, Minji looked around for a bit, watching the other people nearby. It seemed that some witches were present among the humans, and she also saw the glowing red eyes of a vampire in the crowd, but other than that, she spotted no supernatural beings. Perhaps they preferred the other two halls where the dancefloors were, or they just hated Halloween in general and stayed away.

She leaned back and let her eyes move over the crowd. A smile bloomed on her lips when she realized how easy it had been to get him to change his mind with the promise of _cake_. He was a demon with _very_ weird preferences. And thankfully, she knew how to use them against him when he was stubborn. She hadn’t made cake in a while and looked forward to that since she enjoyed baking.

When she noticed someone walking up to her, she turned her head only to come face to face with a stranger. She figured he had mistaken her for someone else, but he didn’t move away. And she soon found out what his intentions were.

“Are you here alone?” he asked, smirking confidently. He was human, and apparently the obnoxious type of person. Just great.

“No,” she said repellently, not gracing him with her attention. She kept her eyes fixed on the wall opposite her and didn’t budge from her seat at the table, but the guy wasn’t deterred.

“It looks that way. I could keep you company,” he said persistently and inched closer, making her snap her head around abruptly. Icily glaring at him, she swatted his hand away when he tried to touch her.

“No, thank you. I advise you to leave before you piss off my boyfriend,” she warned him. “He tends to be violent with people like you.”

“Are you playing hard to get?” the guy insisted. “I’m sure you dressed up like this because you’re looking for company.”

“Leave me alone!” she hissed. She despised men like him who didn’t know what _no_ meant, and she would make sure to show him exactly that. She was no longer the defenseless woman that she had been before. Much had changed since she’d broken up with Dongmin. A human wouldn’t scare her anymore. After all, she had fought demons and all kinds of supernatural creatures when she’d been hunting with Tao. The skills she had learned were valuable and she would use them when needed.

Therefore, she considered summoning her magic to scare the jerk. Teaching him a lesson sounded like a good idea. Hopefully would keep him from pestering other women too.

“Come on, don’t be such a bore,” he grumbled, slowly losing his patience. Simultaneously, her irritation grew and grew. She curled her lips in distaste. Some of her light magic gathered in her palm.

But in the end, someone else was faster. Furious demonic magic surged behind her, the kind she was very familiar with.

“What do you think you’re doing, human?” Baëkhyun’s steely voice snapped as he put himself between her and the stranger. He stood with his back to her, but she knew even without seeing his face that his eyes were bloodred.

“I warned you,” Minji smirked, not intending to hold the demon back in any way. That idiot had asked for trouble when he hadn’t listened to her, so now he had to deal with the aftermath.

“W-Who are you?” the guy stuttered, taking a step back and realizing that he’d bitten off more than he could chew.

“Why would I tell a filthy human my name?” Baëkhyun growled lowly, staring him down. “I should kill you for pestering her.”

“K-Kill?” the stranger echoed horrified. The magical pressure building around him weighed on his body. Since he couldn’t explain the strange sensation, it made him panic. “I-Isn't that a bit much? L-Look, I was just… talking to her,” he scrambled to explain himself.

“Murder seems like an adequate punishment,” Baëkhyun’s sharp voice said. He was completely serious about this, his ruthlessness terrifying the man.

He decided not to stick around for longer, turned on his heels and vanished into the crowd. Baëkhyun annoyedly clicked his tongue, considering to follow him since he’d easily catch him, but he left him be when Minji tugged at his jacket. Finally turning to her, he was surprised to see an actual smile on her lips.

“You gave him a run for his money,” she giggled. “Really scary. For a moment I thought you wanted to kill him for real.”

“I _was_ planning to murder him,” Baëkhyun deadpanned, keeping the steely and slightly bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.

“O-Oh. Well… That’s… not very surprising, now that I think about it,” she said with a nervous laugh. “I had it under control, though. You didn’t have to interfere.”

“I can’t have you dirty your pretty hands with filth like him,” he grumbled and sighed, his anger fading. “He’s gone now, at least.”

He put down the drinks he got for them on the table and sat beside her, keeping his arm around her body so she could lean into him.

“Thank you for getting us something to drink,” she smiled and tried her cocktail, liking its fruity taste. It was a bloody red color, the glass decorated with little pumpkins, and even the straw was Halloween-themed, having orange and black stripes. “Can I try yours too?” she asked, curiously eyeing his neon-green drink.

“Go ahead,” he answered and pushed it over. She took the glass and nipped at the liquid, noting that it contained vodka.

“Not bad,” she grinned, but before she could try more, he’d already taken the glass from her hands.

“That’s all you’re getting, sugar. I don’t want to babysit you again when you get drunk,” he said mockingly. “And I’m sure you don’t want to embarrass yourself like that another time.”

“Why? What did I do last time?” she asked, dipping her head in his direction. He gently traced the apple of her cheek with his fingers, smirking as he recalled the day at the beach. That she didn’t even remember what had happened only proved to him that she was bad at handling alcohol and shouldn’t have too much of it.

“Let me think… you did a lot, I don’t even know where to start,” he teased.

“Baëkhyun!” she complained poutily. “Just tell me.”

“If you ask nicely, I might,” he replied, his smirk being nothing but evil. “Why don’t you beg for it?”

She gritted her teeth, much too stubborn to actually do that. “No, I won’t.”

“Too bad, then you won’t ever find out what you did,” he continued to tease her. “But keep in mind that everybody saw how you made a fool of yourself.”

Her cheeks flushed. Could he for once not make fun of her? “I want to know!”

It was easy to see that he wouldn’t change his mind about this, so she decided to change her approach. “Hyunnie?” she asked and pouted at him while he groaned at the hated nickname. “I’m going to be very sad if you don’t tell me. My heart is going to break! Do you want that to happen, huh?”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

She inched closer to him and rested her hand on his chest, lightly tugging at the lapel of his jacket. “If you’re mean to me, then I might just ask someone else to accompany me next time I go to a party.”

That finally got his attention, but his reaction was different than what she’d expected. “You don’t mean that,” he smirked confidently, breathing a soft kiss in the exposed skin of her neck. “Because I know that I’ve wrapped you around my finger.”

She gaped at him, her mouth falling open. “It’s true, sugar,” he drawled. “No point in denying it.”

Oozing confidence, he smirked at her. She didn’t know what to say to that because _he was right_. She was just too proud to admit it. So much for her plan to make him spill… like this, she would never find out...

She crossed her arms. “That’s so mean of you,” she mumbled. “Why don’t you tell me?”

“If you beg, I will,” he reminded her and slyly raised his eyebrows when she didn’t answer. “I’m waiting,” he added.

“Tao would have treated me nicer,” she blurted before she thought twice about her words. Baëkhyun’s eye color changed from blue to red in a second.

“Why would you bring that hunter up now?” he muttered. The anger and jealousy he felt didn’t stay hidden from her. It came crashing into her mind through their connection. She had to concentrate to block his fiery feelings out. His emotions were like a raging storm while hers were more comparable to a calm lake. Therefore she tended to get overwhelmed when he lost his temper, for whatever reason.

“Because that was the first person who came to mind,” she answered.

“Don’t tell me you like him,” was his irritated reply. His smugness from earlier had evaporated quickly after Minji had brought up Tao. It made her wonder how deep his hate for hunters ran. She knew why he despised them and she fully understood his reasoning. But for him to react so strongly to a mere mention of Tao’s name was surprising to her.

“He’s my friend, so of course I like him.”

Wrong answer. He scowled at her.

“But you don’t need to be jealous or anything. I love _you_ , okay? Nobody else,” she reminded him.

“You better mean that,” he said.

“Yup, one hundred percent,” she grinned, pulling her sleeve up a bit to uncover the demon crest. “See, here’s your proof.”

He snorted, forgetting about his jealousy. “Okay, that’s convincing,” he said, taking hold of her wrist. His thumb traced the soft light that the tiny star radiated. Her skin tingled where he touched her.

“Look! There they are!” Jisoo’s voice yelled over the sound of the music. Minji turned around and noticed Jisoo and Chaeyoung approaching them. They were dressed up too, just as they had planned together, and joined them at the table. Some other friends were accompanying them, and Chaeyoung introduced them as Hongbin, Hakyeon, Wonsik and Lisa.

“Hi! Have you been here for long?” Minji asked.

“Yeah, we’ve tried to call you, but it looks like you didn’t notice,” Chaeyoung said, shrugging her shoulders. “Not surprising, given how loud the music is.”

“Oh, sorry about that…”

“We were about to go dancing, are you with us?” Jisoo asked. Her ghost costume looked great and Minji could tell she had put effort into her make-up, sticking to pale colors.

“Let’s go, Baëkhyun,” Minji said and didn’t even wait for a response, grabbing his wrist to pull him along. She heard him utter a low curse, but he followed her without putting up a fight.

They all walked into another hall that was packed with people. The music here was louder, the bass booming in their ears. Reddish flickering lights illuminated the darkness.

Before Minji knew it, they were in the middle of the wildly dancing crowd, surrounded by moving bodies. She stopped when Baëkhyun lightly pulled on her hand and made her turn around to him. Stunned by his gorgeous ruby eyes, she at first even forgot that they were here to dance—at least until he sent her a confident smirk and began to move. His hands wandered to her hips, gliding up and down her sides and following the shape of her body.

His touches made her feel hot, and her eyes were drawn to him as he danced to the beat of the music. The way he rolled his hips was sinful, had her mind go to a place that was anything but innocent. She snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, mirroring his fluent movements. A fire was ignited within her. Its flames danced in her eyes, and they served to rouse a dark desire in him.

Uncaring of the many people around them, she got lost in the moment, let herself be guided by the music and him. He leaned in to kiss her red lips, smudging her lipstick when his tongue entered her mouth. His toned chest pressed up against hers while they continued to move in sync, now being the closest they could get. His warmth seeped into her skin, made her burn with desire. She hungrily returned the kiss.

Minji briefly opened her eyes and met his ruby gaze, drowning in the endless red of his iris. He gave a devilish smirk when he interrupted their kiss for a moment. His arms held her possessively as he dove down towards her neck where he left a wet trail of kisses on her exposed skin.

The heat that built between them was intoxicating. Breathing heavily, she threw her head back to give him better access. Her hands buried themselves in his silky white hair, raking through it. His lips paused above her jugular, feeling the quick beats of her heart. The demon smirked, lightly biting her skin.

“Y-You devil,” she gasped.

“Sorry,” he replied without actually meaning it. His scarlet eyes were twinkling with both lust and playfulness. “You’re just too irresistible, sugar. Can’t help myself.”

One of his hands wandered from her back to her hip where it lingered. “You’re a pretty demon,” he drawled. “I could eat you up… and I would if we were alone.”

She blushed, remembering that they were in fact still in the middle of a crowded dancefloor. Her heartbeat accelerated in exhilaration. She had a great time tonight, never wanted it to end.

He sneakily tugged at the end of the chain that rested on her nose and cheekbones, drawing her attention from the crowd back to him. She once more found herself drowning in the bloody red of his iris, and now it was she who initiated their kiss. His chest vibrated when he chuckled at her eagerness, lightly nipping at her lower lip.

If there was something she could never get enough of, it was _him_.

She smiled into their kiss, enjoying it. This time, it wasn’t as impatient as before, but slow in a way that allowed her to relish it fully.

Sadly, it didn’t last forever. Minji was torn from the sweet moment when someone tapped her shoulder. Breaking the kiss, she glanced at Jisoo and Chaeyoung who were waiting for her to follow them. They must have been dancing nearby, but Minji had been too preoccupied to even notice them. Her friends were grinning like madwomen, and that meant they had probably been watching for a while. She was in for a lot of teasing…

Sighing to herself, she told an unwilling and sulky Baëkhyun that they’d take a break from dancing. He was anything but happy, yet joined the group of humans at the side of the hall. They had gathered in a quieter area where it wasn’t as crowded and talked animatedly to each other.

Jisoo pulled Minji aside, a sly smirk on her face as she said, “You know, you weren’t supposed to go all out in public like that. Would have never thought I would see shy Minji do this. Is the demon rubbing off on you?”

That caused her to blush. “I… I just kinda forgot that we had an audience.”

Jisoo laughed, patting her on her back. “Don’t worry, girl. I can see that you’re head over heels for him. It’s cute, actually,” she smiled. “I’m surprised to see how much his attitude towards you has changed. Didn’t he hate your guts at first? Now it looks like he’s craving your attention nonstop.”

“He’s a bit clingy sometimes, but I don’t mind.”

“He was practically glued to you just now,” Jisoo said and giggled amusedly.

They went back to the others who were in the middle of a conversation that revolved around Baëkhyun. The demon stood with his arms crossed and looked ready to murder someone, his eyes glowing red as he stared Chaeyoung’s friends down. Minji noted that he looked a lot like a demon right now, especially since he was still wearing the curled horns she had given him.

Quickening her steps, she went back to his side and clung to his arm to make sure he wouldn’t do something stupid. Her hand engulfed his as she interlaced their fingers. “What’s going on?” she asked curiously.

“Oh, we were just trying to find out where he bought his contact lenses,” Chaeyoung explained and shrugged.

“But he doesn’t want to tell us,” her boyfriend Hongbin added annoyedly.

“I’m not wearing contacts, how many times do I have to tell you?” Baëkhyun shot back.

“You are! There is no way your eye color would change from blue to red by itself. And… and eyes don’t fucking glow on their own!” Hakyeon persisted. “Tell us where you got them.”

Minji was the only one who heard the low growl coming from deep within Baëkhyun’s throat. His eyes narrowed and his magic flared. Jisoo sent them a warning stare, but Minji was already on it.

“Hey, just leave him be, okay?” she chimed in. “His contacts are custom made. You won’t find them in any shop.”

“Aww, man. That sucks,” Hongbin sighed.

“Fucking humans,” Baëkhyun hissed and glowered at him, making him take a step back.

“Calm down,” Minji whispered at him, knowing that his keen ears picked up her words even with the loud music in the background. “They’re a little drunk. Don’t take them seriously, okay?”

She was relieved when she felt him relax, knowing that she’d been right on time to stop him from throwing a fit in the middle of the nightclub.

“So, is the high and mighty ‘demon’ over here up for a challenge?” Hongbin asked, looking sour. Baëkhyun’s thoughts were written all over his face. It was all too obvious that he wanted to rip the human’s head off for continuing to annoy him.

“Or are you a coward, huh?” Lisa said when he didn’t answer. “And Minji, what about you?”

“What are you even talking about?” Minji asked, a sense of ominous foreboding growing within her. She didn’t like where this was going.

“We planned something special for tonight,” Chaeyoung said, not noticing the tension that suddenly hung in the air. “It’s Halloween, we can’t let this pass without having a real scare!”

“What are you on about this time?” Jisoo sighed, exchanging a look with Minji. They both knew this wouldn’t be the first time Chae got herself in trouble with a stupid idea.

“We did some research and found a supposedly haunted building that isn’t too far from here. We could even walk there on foot,” Lisa grinned. “Would be the perfect opportunity for a dare!”

“Haunted, huh?” Jisoo mumbled, crossing her arms.

“Typical humans,” Baëkhyun muttered lowly and rolled his eyes. “How stupid.”

“You’re just scared,” Lisa taunted him. “Too scared for a dare…”

“I’m not fucking scared,” he growled. And he really wasn’t—but he was extremely annoyed at the idea to hang around with a bunch of dumb humans who were begging to get in trouble. He had a hunch that Minji would make him save their asses in the end. And that sounded like a whole lot of unnecessary work. In his opinion, humans didn’t deserve to be saved. Many of them were sinners anyway, so what did it matter if they went to hell a bit earlier than planned?

“Are you coming with us then?” Lisa asked. Minji barely knew her and the other university students who were friends with Chaeyoung, and so far, none of them had left a good impression on her. It seemed that they liked to get involved in trouble.

“Listen, I’d prefer if we stayed here,” Minji replied. “The party is really fun, so why leave?”

“It’s not Halloween if we don’t do something _exciting_ ,” Wonsik said.

“Yeah, exactly my thought!” Lisa agreed.

“So, Baëkhyun, will you skip this opportunity like a coward?” Hakyeon sneered, receiving a glower from the demon who was ready to strangle him.

“Shut the fuck up,” he growled.

“Stop arguing, please,” Minji chimed in. She was getting uneasy with all the tension around them and wanted this issue to be resolved quickly.

“Does that mean you and your coward of a boyfriend will stay back?” Lisa asked provocatively.

Minji could almost hear Baëkhyun snap. She felt his boiling rage that was about to explode, and she knew that he _would_ do something bad if she didn’t interfere.

“We will accompany you, okay? But only if you stop it with the insults,” Minji said. “That’s not exactly nice, you know?”

“I agree with her,” Chaeyoung said and gave Lisa, Hakyeon and Wonsik a disapproving look. “You guys shouldn’t act like jerks to my friend.”

Lisa rolled her eyes but finally shut up. Jisoo heaved a sigh of relief, and so did Minji. However, her relief didn’t last long when she remembered what she had just agreed to. Unease made her stomach churn. What kind of place did they want to visit in the middle of the night? And wouldn’t that count as trespassing, too? Or perhaps breaking and entering?

Baëkhyun’s arm hooked around her waist. He leaned down to whisper into her ear. “Minji, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. If they get in trouble, it’s on them.”

She knew that he would say something like that since he didn’t care about them. However, Minji wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she let her friends walk right into a dangerous haunted place without keeping an eye on them. They were defenseless and an easy target. Minji at least had her magic to depend on—and Baëkhyun.

“I can’t let them go there alone, Baëkhyun. Please understand,” she told him seriously. The deep sigh she got from him meant two things. Yes, he was annoyed, and yes, he would accompany her.

“You better make two cakes tomorrow,” he grumbled.

“Of course,” she smiled.

* * *

By the time the group exited the building, it was only 1 am, too early to leave in Minji’s opinion. They passed a large parking area where she spotted a few people. Some of them were drunk, others seemingly waited for a ride home. While the group of eight adults walked down the street, she wished she could use her magic to light up the night, but that wasn’t an option right now. And so she used her smartphone as a flashlight since the streetlamps here were either broken or ridiculously dim.

Minji soon regretted not bringing a warmer jacket. It had been hot inside the club, but outside in the middle of the night, it was rather cold. She was only wearing a thin and short dress that left her legs exposed to the cool air. The heels she had decided to put on were going on her nerves too. If she had known she would walk through some abandoned residential area, she would have put on sneakers.

A few lonely houses lined up left and right of the street. Everything looked decrepit. She sensed strange hints of magic lingering in the air and shuddered. It was impossible to identify it since she had never encountered anything comparable. Baëkhyun on the other hand had an idea of what it was, and judging by his dark stare, it wasn’t good.

“What’s wrong?” she asked him.

“Someone used blood magic here not long ago,” he muttered. “I don’t know whether that person is still somewhere in this area. Stay close, okay?” She swallowed hard, instinctively sought his proximity. Her hand found his in the darkness.

“What are you guys talking about?” Hakyeon asked, glancing back at them over his shoulder.

“Just… Halloween stuff,” Minji answered and shrugged.

“Weirdos,” he mumbled and resumed his conversation with Wonsik and Lisa.

They soon turned into a street that was leading farther away from the nightclub. Far enough that they could only see its faint lights in the distance. A few trees grew left and right of the small street. Except for the chattering of the group, it was eerily silent here. Minji didn’t feel good about this—she didn’t like the darkness. She preferred seeing the dangers that lurked in it, but with a few ridiculous smartphone flashlights, that wasn’t possible.

After she nearly tripped over a crack in the asphalt, she cursed her dumb heels, making Baëkhyun crack a smirk. “I told you not to put on those shoes,” he said. “But of course you wouldn’t listen to me. Stubborn little sugar.”

“You could carry me,” she suggested.

“Nah. Too lazy.”

She wanted to complain, but at that moment, they reached their destination. Before she even saw the building, a chill ran down her spine. The sixth sense she had developed for the supernatural world told her that this place was _not_ safe. Something was lurking here, and whatever it was, it freaked her out.

“Guys, I think it’s better if we leave,” she said in a last attempt to stop those idiots.

“Yeah, I also don’t want to be here,” Jisoo said, biting her lip. She was looking around uneasily, sensing that something was off, but not knowing what it was.

“Cowards,” Lisa sang and laughed arrogantly. “Do you want to run home and hide under your blankets? Go ahead then!”

“We’re going in for sure,” Wonsik said.

They moved past a broken fence surrounding a big property. And now, their flashlights finally reached the building they wanted to visit. It was tall and had a tiled roof, looking fairly old. Since it must have been expensive to build, it was strange that it had been abandoned. Its looming shadow did not appear inviting at all. The front door was kicked down, the windows broken.

“That’s it!” Lisa said, turning to the rest of the group.

“What is this place?” Minji asked. She furrowed her brows and tried to get a better look at the building in the faint light of their lamps.

“This house used to be an orphanage a few decades ago,” Hakyeon explained. “Apparently, the entire ground floor is covered in odd symbols.”

“Who cares about some dumb orphanage?” Baëkhyun said annoyedly. He wanted to go back to the party, not explore a moldy old house.

“Can you stop complaining for once?” Lisa yelled angrily.

“Hey, hey, calm down!” Jisoo said and went in between them. She gave Lisa a warning gaze, and the woman calmed down a little.

“Who wants to go in first?” Lisa asked, letting her gaze drift over the group. “What about you, Minji?”

“Fine,” Minji said. She disliked Lisa’s attitude and her bossiness, but she didn’t complain since going first would allow her to make sure the place was safe. Which it probably wasn’t…

“No way, you’re not going alone,” Baëkhyun said and grabbed her wrist to keep her from leaving. “I’m coming with you.”

“Aww, are you scared?” Lisa taunted.

Baëkhyun’s patience ran out. He lost his temper. “Shut the fuck up, you bitch,” he snapped.

“What did you just call me?”

“Bitch,” he repeated just to spite her, shooting her a smoldering hot glare. “Mind your own business.”

“H-How dare you…?” she stuttered, her mouth opening and closing like that of a fish. She was at a loss for words. People most likely didn’t treat her like this usually.

“Come on, Baëkhyun. Let’s just go,” Minji sighed.

“Don’t forget to look into the basement!” Wonsik called after them, but Minji barely heard him. Her attention was captured by the otherworldly aura that surrounded the building. It made her shudder, brought an uncomfortable coldness she could not shake off.

Whatever awaited them in there, she hoped that it wasn’t dangerous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another episode of Baëkhyun doing literally anything for his beloved strawberry cake. LMAO That's so cute, I can't help but bring it up again and again. 🤧 I added as much fluff as possible here because next chapter will be a bit more serious. (Not revealing anything yet, ofc.😆)
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter! Took me very long to edit. 😅 5k words is a lot oof.  
> Have a great day!!


	36. If You Falter

The sound of Minji’s heels on the concrete floor was loud in the suffocating silence of the night. Her heartbeat sped up, frantic and nervous like that of a hare running from a lion. She did not have a good feeling about this, and she was sure that it was a stupid idea to come here in the middle of the night.

The loud chattering of the group of students somewhere outside was smothered by the thick walls of the building. Baëkhyun and Minji were cut off from the rest of the world. The darkness was impenetrable, a veil that hid the inside of the house from view.

Baëkhyun flooded the hallway with soft warm light that chased the darkness away. However, what he uncovered was not something that Minji desired to see. Perhaps she would have even preferred the darkness over this. They were faced with the unsettling sight of curses and odd symbols written on the peeling wallpaper. The color was hard to name, looking like a mix between a muddy brown and charcoal black.

Sensing a sinister aura, Minji drew in a breath, quivering in fear and stumbling backward. Terrified, she clung to Baëkhyun’s hand who scrunched his brows as he gazed at her.

“I want to leave. Let’s go back outside,” she whispered. The mark on her wrist burned and the uncomfortable feeling of being watched overcame her. It was a sensation comparable to ants crawling over her skin. She despised it.

“That’s fine. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. It’s not worth the trouble when you aren’t feeling well,” he replied and held her hand as they turned back to the entrance in order to leave. They didn’t get very far.

“No. No, no, no,” she whispered frantically. Her eyes widened slowly as she came to a realization. Her stomach dropped, terror causing her to shudder _. The door was gone_. Their way out of the building had just vanished in the blink of an eye without them noticing. They were staring at a solid wall with a large symbol written over it. It looked similar to an eye, and it unsettled her.

“Where’s the exit?” she breathed, shaking like a leaf. The sense of danger within her was growing and growing.

Baëkhyun glared at the wall with bright red eyes, clenching his hand to a fist when he recognized the symbol that decorated it. “It was a trap. We walked right into a trap,” he snarled. “Fuck. Whoever made this knows what they’re doing. I did not notice the spell at all.”

“Please tell me you can get us out of here,” she said fearfully.

“There is only one way. We need to find the person who created this trap. They need to undo the spell,” he muttered darkly. “I’m guessing that they are waiting for us somewhere in here.”

“Oh please no,” she mumbled, nervously rubbing her arms. She had seldom felt this uncomfortable—right now, all of her instincts were screaming at her to flee, but she couldn’t. There was nowhere to run.

“That woman from earlier,” he growled. “She’s suspicious.”

“You mean Lisa?”

“Yes. She was the one who suggested to come here… and she was the one who wanted you to go inside _alone_. I bet this trap was set up by her.”

Minji couldn’t believe it. “What are you saying? She’s a human and unaware of—”

“So what?” he cut her off. “It’s not that hard to manipulate a regular human with magic. Especially not when you’re a blood mage.”

“You think the person behind this is…” she trailed off.

“Probably the person Kāi warned us about.”

She fell silent as dread pooled in her stomach. How had that mage known about them being at the party? Just how? They couldn’t have found them by pure coincidence. And since the mage had had time to prepare a trap, they must have planned this beforehand.

Baëkhyun heaved a deep sigh, staring at the cracked tiles on the floor. “I told you we shouldn’t have accompanied those humans! I will never understand why you always feel obligated to help everyone,” Baëkhyun grumbled. “We could have stayed at the club and had more fun, but no, you just had to babysit those dumb humans. Why can’t you let them run into their doom if they want that so much?”

“They don’t know of the dangers that the supernatural world poses to them. They have no idea that they might encounter actual demons in this building. To them, this is just a game,” Minji explained. “And since I am aware of the danger, I feel obligated to keep them safe. On top of that, I couldn’t bear the thought of being responsible for their demise. Should anything happen to them without me trying to help, my conscience would kill me.”

He sent her an odd look, not completely following her way of thinking.

“I know that this must sound like bullshit to a demon, but to me, looking out for others is important,” she then added, hoping to make him understand. “View it from a different angle: Didn’t you accompany me here for a similar reason? You could have stayed outside and waited, but you chose to join me.”

“Like I would have let you walk in here alone,” he huffed and crossed his arms.

“See? You’re worried about me,” she smiled. “I want to keep them safe like you want to keep me safe. Got it?”

“I don’t think you can compare these two things,” he said. “Those humans out there aren’t worth the effort, you on the other hand…” His lips stretched into a smirk. “You are mine. And I like to protect what’s mine.”

She flushed. “F-Flirt.”

“Ah, I see you’re blushing again,” he teased, smirking wider.

“Damn demon,” she muttered.

“Damn human,” he mimicked cheekily.

She wasn’t sure if it was his intention, but their conversation moved her thoughts away from her trepidation. She wasn’t that scared anymore since she concentrated mostly on _him_ and not their creepy surroundings.

“Stop pouting, sugar.”

“I am not pouting,” she grumbled, hugging her shivering body in order to keep warm. It was freezing in the hallway, and her flimsy Halloween costume wasn’t meant to be worn in a place like this. Neither were her high heels. She hoped she wouldn’t break her ankles in here.

“You’re cold, aren’t you?”

“Well, this stupid costume isn’t exactly warm…”

“You might get sick at this rate,” he sighed and slipped off his black leather jacket. “Take this.”

“B-But you only have a thin shirt underneath,” she said.

“Demons aren’t bothered by the cold,” he shrugged and shoved the jacket in her hands. “Put it on.” It sounded more like an order than anything else, especially paired with the steely look in his eyes.

“Thank you,” she said and put it on without complaints, closing it in the front. It was warmed up by his body heat, and it protected her from the freezing temperature. She curled her fingers around the edges of the sleeves that were a bit too long.

“You’d be lost if you didn’t have me,” he then added, sounding quite arrogant and full of himself. The way he raised his chin reminded her of a snobbish cat.

“Yes, indeed,” she chuckled amusedly. “What a lucky human I am to have a demon around.”

“You’re the luckiest,” he nodded.

She snorted and stood on her tiptoes to give him a sweet kiss on his cheek. “Let’s hurry and get out of here. I promised you a strawberry cake, remember?”

“You said you’d make two!” he reminded her.

“And that’s why we should leave as soon as possible.”

“Well, first I have to kick this bastard’s ass for cornering us here,” he growled, scrunching his nose in disgust. “Blood mages are scum.”

He took her hand in a tight grip and used his magic to brighten the light in the hallway. Minji couldn’t say how grateful she was that his magic wasn’t of a different element. With water or even earth magic, they would have been stuck in pitch-black darkness. She still had the flashlight of her smartphone of course, but that wasn’t as efficient and the battery wouldn’t last forever.

“Where do we go first?” she asked unsurely and looked around, checking their options. The hallway was so long that the light didn’t reach its ending. It looked like a black hole waiting to swallow them. However, the alternatives were no better.

Left and right of them, she spotted two closed doors that would take them to an unknown place, and in front of them, a concrete stairway led up to the next floor. The entire orphanage looked decrepit and forlorn. Nobody had taken care of it in decades. It had been left as it was, and in some areas, it was easy to see that nature had overtaken the structure. Parts of the wallpaper near the ground was covered in green. Minji suspected it was moss or mold, but she didn’t feel like taking a closer look at it. The stagnant air was permeated with different smells and none of them was particularly inviting. It _reeked_.

“I don’t know… but we have to start somewhere if we want to find the blood mage,” Baëkhyun said lowly. “I’m sure they have set a few traps in here for us… and I assume they are watching us from somewhere.”

A quiver ran through her body. This was like a scene taken from her worst nightmare. Minji hated to be trapped, it made her anxious. And the fact that some deranged psycho was waiting in here for them did not help either. She was relieved that she was at least not alone… but of course she would have preferred if both of them could have just skipped this ordeal. It was her kindness that had gotten them in this predicament. She figured that the blood mage had foreseen she would be worried about the other humans and used it to their advantage. They really couldn’t underestimate this person, whoever it was.

“Let’s go upstairs first, okay?” Baëkhyun suggested and she agreed. She held on to his hand because his touch was the one thing that grounded her. The fear in her heart was a bit more bearable thanks to him. She concentrated on their bond and noted that he felt mostly angry. No fear was mixed into his emotions. However, what she did notice was the paralyzing feeling of worry that was hidden behind his rage.

Frowning, she ascended the stairs with him and reached the next floor. This one didn’t look much different than the ground floor. The walls were grey and worn, the floor made of concrete. Maybe this place had been lively once, but now it was just sad to look at. The creepy symbols were everywhere, following the long hallway as it stretched on in front of them.

They walked down the hallway fast, reaching the first door to their left. Baëkhyun decided to simply kick it down and walked inside. His magic illuminated the entire room to the last corner and revealed a mostly empty space safe for a few half-broken metal beds. The weathered curtains at the walls looked out of place because there were no windows in this room.

“What the fuck? Has it always been like that? Shouldn’t there be windows?” she muttered.

“It’s part of the spell that blood mage has put on the building. All exits are closed off,” Baëkhyun said lowly. “We’re trapped like rats in here. If they wanted to, they could just let us starve.”

Or in other words—let her starve. Demons didn’t need food to survive. She was the liability here, and she already hated it.

“Let’s take a look at the other rooms up here,” she said gloomily.

He didn’t answer but accompanied her back to the hallway. Some debris from the ceiling littered the ground and Minji wondered how safe this building was. What if the floor gave in, or something equally awful happened? No matter which direction her thoughts followed, they always ended in a terrible place. She was afraid for their lives.

The next room didn’t look much different than the last. It was just as worn and the black symbols on the walls were present as well.

“Baëkhyun,” Minji said with her eyes glued to a spot on the ground. Someone had painted a large summoning circle on the cracked tiles. It was a bit messed up on the edges and some of the letters were smudged, but it probably had been functioning at one point. What kind of creep would come to this place to summon demons in their spare time?

“Maybe… those demons that were summoned here are still in the building,” he muttered to himself and stepped closer to the circle, using his shoe to smudge the charcoal more.

A loud slam reverberated through the building. Minji flinched and turned to the door, but she couldn’t see any movement. She hadn’t imagined the sound though. Baëkhyun had heard it too. He had snapped his head around and stared at the empty doorway. None of them moved for what seemed like hours. As if they were frozen in time, they stood and waited for something to happen.

Minutes passed, but no other sound was heard. Eventually, Minji relaxed and heaved a sigh.

“What could that have been?” she asked breathlessly.

“Who knows. Maybe it was the wind,” Baëkhyun said sarcastically, scowling. “Seems like this blood mage loves to play games.”

Minji gnawed on her lower lip, holding his hand tightly. Her heartbeat was fast and uneven—he probably heard it with his sharp senses.

“I want to get out of here. Is there really nothing you can do?” she asked desperately. “M-Maybe you could try opening a portal to hell? That could be a way out.”

He looked unsure, scrunching his brows. “I highly doubt that it would work, but I can try.” He moved his hand in a circle and concentrated his demonic magic on opening a rift in the air. However, nothing happened, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t create a portal.

“No, impossible,” he growled. “Bastard must have taken this into consideration when they created the trap.”

“Shit. Then what do we do?”

“We keep searching.”

“That’s our only option, huh?” she mumbled. Minji couldn’t fathom how their Halloween party had escalated into _this_. She had gone from dancing and having fun to fearing for her life. Even though she knew that Chaeyoung’s friends couldn’t have known about the true dangers lurking in this place, she began to feel resentment towards them.

She regretted accompanying them, and she regretted dragging Baëkhyun into it as well. Why did she always feel responsible for everyone? She could have just let the group of students come here on their own… maybe the blood mage wouldn’t have cared about them. The trap had been meant for her and Baëkhyun after all.

If only she had known this beforehand, then she would have handled the situation differently. But no, thanks to her, Baëkhyun was now in trouble—and she hated the thought of anything happening to him. Her worried gaze drifted over him as she studied him. His posture was tense and his eyes ruby. The glowing light he radiated gave him an otherworldly appearance, made his eyes and his chain shimmer in the otherwise dark room. He was like a beacon in the darkness, and she didn’t stray from his side since the magic he released had a soothing effect on her nervous self. She loved the way it prickled on her skin, leaving tender warmth. Sometimes she wondered how it was possible for demon magic to feel so welcoming and inviting, but she assumed it had to do with their bond.

“Come on, sugar, you’re spacing out,” he said, squeezing her hand a little to gain her attention.

“O-Oh, I’m sorry,” she replied sheepishly. “We should move on.”

He nodded and they went back to the hallway where they had come from. Minji gulped, her gaze darting from left to right. She scanned the impenetrable darkness at the end of the hallway, wondering where it would lead them. The sound of her heels on the concrete floor was loud in the deafening silence of the orphanage. It reverberated around them.

She felt the urge to fill the silence with her voice, to make it less terrifying, but she was reluctant to speak since she didn’t want to alert any dangerous beings to them. Then again, they most likely already knew they were here.

“Baëkhyun,” she whispered.

“What?”

“I’m scared,” she said quietly. “If we make it out of here, we… we should do something fun. Go on another date maybe.”

He pursed his lips as he stared into the darkness that laid in front of them. “Not _if_ we make it, _when_ we make it. There’s a significant difference,” he murmured. “You’ll get your date eventually, sugar.”

Somehow, his unwavering conviction to survive relieved some of her stress. She admired many things about him, and this was one of them. As someone who did not even have half of the confidence he possessed, she could gain a lot of hope from him.

A tiny smile found its way on her lips. “Okay,” she answered. “And where do you want to spend the date… Hyunnie?”

He let the use of the pet name slide and only gave her a slightly annoyed look. “I wouldn’t mind a whole vacation, honestly. Just you and me alone with nobody to interrupt us,” he said, smirking slyly at her. “Imagine the things we could do…”

“What do you mean?”

“You can’t be that clueless,” he snorted. Leaning in so that his lips hovered right next to the shell of her ear, he whispered, “I could take off your clothes, and we could have some fun.”

Minji flushed. The hotness of his breath on her skin had her shudder. She bit her lip. “I should have known you were talking about that,” she whispered.

“I don’t hear you say no.” He chuckled lowly while they continued on, exploring more of the dark hallway. And again, Minji couldn’t help but notice how damn good he was at distracting her from her fear. He knew her well, and he also knew how to use his charms in the best possible way. His method of comforting her was unusual.

“I am not opposed to the idea,” she replied. The blush on her cheeks was prevalent in the soft light he released, and he grinned seeing it.

“Then it’s a plan,” he decided, nodding to himself and looking very satisfied.

“I can’t believe you’re talking about sex when we’re in the middle of a dangerous situation,” she snorted. “Typical demon.”

“I can talk about sex whenever I want,” he said stubbornly, arching a challenging eyebrow. “But, you know, doing it is more fun than talking about it.”

“Oh Baëkhyun, you sure are something else…” she sighed.

“I’m honest.”

“Very honest, yes.”

They were interrupted by another strange sound; a monotonous noise that originated from the blackness in front of them. It could have been a piece of metal hitting stone, Minji didn’t know for sure. Growing louder and louder, it made the hair on the back of her neck raise. She widened her eyes, freezing up.

Baëkhyun quickly stepped in front of her to shield her from whatever was approaching them. He used his magic, brightening up the hallway. It was fairly easy to see that he deemed it a threat. Curling his right hand, he made a silver rapier appear out of thin air. Minji had seen the weapon once before, but it had been a long while ago. He hadn’t been forced to use it anymore since then. Now, however, he wasn’t ready to take any risks regarding their safety. He held the slim weapon tightly and prepared himself for a confrontation.

“Who’s there?” he called into the shadows, his deep voice rumbling through the hallway like thunder. At first, they didn’t hear a sound. Silence was the only answer they received. Several tormentingly long seconds ticked by. Baëkhyun didn’t move. Neither did Minji.

“Show yourself, coward!” he spat enragedly. It wasn’t wise to test his patience. The light he radiated took on an eerie red hue. He took one step forward. Minji kept her eyes fixed on his back. The strange sounds paused, and then they grew quieter as if they were moving away from them.

Baëkhyun clicked his tongue, cursing under his breath. He threw a glance over his shoulder at her, contemplating for a moment before he reached a decision.

“Minji, we need to follow that sound. The sooner we find who’s lurking around here, the better,” he said firmly. Letting out a breath, she braced herself for the inevitable because she knew that he was right. They couldn’t stay confined in this building forever. Gathering her courage, she nodded and they began their pursuit.

He kept his rapier in one hand and held her wrist with his other, assuring that they wouldn’t get separated. His light flooded the hallway and they rounded a corner where the noise became louder. Minji didn’t want to find out what awaited them, could only imagine a dangerous creature of some sort… one that the blood mage had conjured up.

Baëkhyun picked up his pace since he didn’t want to lose the only lead they had. The decrepit and dirty walls of the endless hallways rushed past them. Minji scrunched her nose, hating the moldy smell that had invaded every nook and cranny of this building. She did her best to keep up with Baëkhyun despite her very uncomfortable heels. He didn’t need long to notice her little handicap, however, and slowed down a bit.

The clanking stopped. Whatever was responsible for it must be waiting for them… Ominous silence greeted him and her. Minji only heard the fearful beats of her heart and her own heavy breaths.

They reached a wide-open doorway leading into a dark hall. Baëkhyun shot her another look, making sure she stayed close, and then he walked into the room first. His body was tense, ready to fight, and his scarlet eyes scanned over the area quickly. The darkness was dispersed by his shimmering magic.

Who they encountered in the middle of the hall was not who they had expected. The person that awaited them was not a blood mage nor was it a creepy monster. It was a woman.

She was incredibly pretty, and Minji found her slightly familiar as if she had seen her before, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Her blonde hair fell in waves over her shoulders, accentuating her face and ice-blue eyes. The light blue dress she wore was beautiful, emphasizing her petite figure. She looked like an angel, but since she lacked wings, that could not be true.

Minji’s mark burned in warning. She sensed danger from this person, and no matter how kind her smile was, she wasn’t about to trust her. She fully expected Baëkhyun to lash out at her, but he did no such thing. On the contrary, he was suspiciously quiet. Minji glanced at him only to see him staring at the stranger as if he had been hypnotized. His weapon had vanished into thin air, proving that he didn’t intend to fight anymore.

“Minā?” he breathed, sheer disbelief flashing over his face. “Is that really you?”

The shock in his wide blue eyes was plain to see. It made Minji sick to her stomach. Her thoughts were racing as she slowly began to understand just who this woman was. She was the frost demon who had been killed by hunters many years prior; Baëkhyun’s former girlfriend. But why was she alive when she should be dead? Why was she _here_?

The woman sent her a disapproving glance over Baëkhyun’s shoulder and that was when Minji started to panic. Was she here to take him away from her? He wouldn’t leave her for his old girlfriend… right?

He was in love with _her_ , and not with Minā. Or was he? At this very moment, Minji came to realize something painful. He had never, not even once, told her that he loved her. And perhaps he didn’t.

Cold seeped into Minji’s heart. She wrapped her arms around her body, keeping her gaze fixed on the frost demon who had captured Baëkhyun’s full attention. As much as Minji hated to admit it, the other woman was incredibly beautiful. She could see why Baëkhyun had fallen in love with her. With her flawless complexion and silver-blond hair, she made Minji feel inferior about herself. Especially since her own boyfriend didn’t spare her a glance anymore. He let go of her hand and walked closer to Minā, his eyes filled with surprise.

“Baëkhyun, what are you doing?” Minji called after him, alarmed that he would just approach her.

He didn’t seem to have heard her words since he didn’t even turn his head. Minji wanted to cry. This wasn’t fair—why did this woman have to appear now of all times? What was her intention? Her appearance couldn’t be a coincidence; she could have only entered this building if she was working with the blood mage.

The thought came as a shock to Minji who immediately understood the danger they were in around the female demon. Baëkhyun on the other hand appeared to be unaware of this, or maybe he simply didn’t care.

Minji was about to open her mouth to warn him, however, she was stopped. A pair of arms snaked around her body from behind, a hand clamping over her mouth. She went stiff in shock, struggled to get out of this person’s unrelenting hold. It was like a vice, keeping her still and smothering any sound she made.

Dreadful coldness rose around her. She was pulled into the shadows. Out of sheer desperation, she stretched out her hand in Baëkhyun’s direction, but her efforts were in vain.

She was gone in a heartbeat.


	37. Jekyll

“I missed you,” Minā said. Her pretty blue eyes twinkled, brimming with relief and joy.

“How… are you alive?” Baëkhyun asked breathlessly. “Y-You died right in front of me!”

She inclined her head, brushing a blonde lock of hair behind her ear. The motion was painfully familiar, bringing back memories he shared with her. He knew all her habits by heart, whether it was her love for wearing silver rings or her cute habit of playing with her hair. It had been so long since he last saw her alive, but his memory was clear as day. He couldn’t believe his eyes, couldn’t fathom that she was really here. When she had faded away right before him, a hole had been torn into his chest. The old scar it had left behind began to hurt upon looking at her now.

_It was his fault she had died._

“I found a way to come back,” she answered. “Because I missed you so much, I couldn’t stand being without you!” Minā beamed at him. Her pale heart-shaped lips curved up, forming a perfect smile.

Baëkhyun stared at her, not fully over his surprise yet, but his happiness to see her outweighed his confusion. He didn’t question her sudden appearance, didn’t realize that there was no possible way for her to still be alive.

When he closed the distance between them, her crystal blue eyes sparkled joyfully. “It must have been fate for us to reunite,” she whispered.

He was about to answer but paused when he noticed something was amiss. “Wait, where’s—” he sputtered and turned around to find the room empty safe for him and Minā. Dread rose in him when he didn’t see Minji anywhere near him. “Minji?!”

The panic that built within him pulled his attention away from Minā. He instinctively concentrated on the bond that connected him to Minji, but to his shock, he couldn’t feel her. It was as if she had _stopped_ _existing_. Normally, he would have sensed her emotions whenever he focused on them. Now, though, there was just _nothing_. She was gone, erased from existence. This had never happened before and it freaked him out.

“Fuck,” he cursed. “Minji, where are you?!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, waiting desperately for an answer. His shoulders heaved as his breathing quickened. Minā spoke to him, but her words didn’t register in his frantic mind. Only when her cool hand touched his arm, did he react. He looked at her with wide eyes.

“Minā…” he muttered. “Did you see what happened to her? She was here just a second ago! We have to look for her!”

“So you have replaced me with that human,” Minā said. Her lips curled downward. “Baëk, how could you?”

“I… I didn’t replace you,” he replied hesitatingly. Speaking to Minā after such a long time was painful. His chest became heavy with an emotion he couldn’t identify.

“But you made a bond with her,” Minā said sadly. “You never did that with me! I didn’t mean anything to you, do I?” She hugged her stomach, pulled up her shoulders. The frost demon looked so small, so lost. He bit down on his lower lip and took a step closer to her, wishing to comfort her.

“That’s not true, I—"

“Is that why you let me die?” she suddenly asked. The blame in her gaze was like a shot through his chest. It pierced him, stole all air from his lungs. The guilt he had been carrying around all these years came back to crush him.

“You were fed up with me,” she added. “So you brought me to the human world to dispose of me. Isn’t that right?”

“No,” he breathed. His voice cracked. “No, I would never.”

The accusing stare she sent him hurt more than any physical injury ever could. “Do you have any idea how scared I was when those demon hunters cornered me? They didn’t show any mercy.”

She glared at him. “But you didn’t care. You only came looking for me when it was already too late,” she said icily. “And now you just… just replace me as if I’m not worth anything. What does that human have that I don’t have?”

Speechlessly, he could only watch her, choking on his guilt. Her carefully chosen words were like acid, reopening his old wounds. He had always felt responsible for her death, and to hear these accusations from her of all people was torture.

“I didn’t replace you,” he finally said, clenching his hands to fists. His voice sounded weaker than he intended.

“You did. And not only that. Of all the people you could have been in a relationship with, you chose a _human_. Disgusting,” she spat. “You know, I was excited to reunite with you, but now I’m not so sure anymore.”

“Minā, please don’t say such things,” he whispered. “I didn’t start a relationship with a human to spite you. Not all humans are bad. Minji is someone very special to me, and I’m sure you would like her.”

He would never have thought he would ever say those words—but they were true. It had taken him a long time to get over his hate. More than twenty years had passed since Minā had left him, and only recently he had finally moved on from everything that happened.

She had made her return at the worst possible moment, just when everything had been going well for him and Minji. Her sudden appearance brought his remorse back.

Silence hung over them while he studied her. Minā’s hair was the color of moonlight while her eyes held the vibrant tone of the sky during midday. She still looked like an innocent angel and nobody could deny her beauty.

Nonetheless, something crucial had changed. She no longer made his heart ache with longing. She no longer was the person he wanted to share a kiss with. He liked her, but he didn’t love her anymore. His feelings for this woman had burned out.

This realization hit him like a bucket filled with ice water that was drained over him. It shook him awake and had him come to his sense. There were _much more important things_ to worry about than his guilt or Minā’s unexplainable return. He was wasting precious time with this conversation.

“I don’t have time to talk to you right now,” he said quickly. “I need to find Minji.”

“No,” Minā interfered and grabbed his arm, stopping him. “Wait!”

“What the fuck do you want!? I can’t just waste time like this when I know that she isn’t safe!” he hissed exasperatedly and ripped his arm away from her.

His patience was running thin. This situation was unbearable, tore him in half. A part of him felt responsible for what happened to Minā and saw himself obligated to make up for his mistake. But the greater part drove him to go looking for Minji. He was worried sick about her and he had no time for meaningless discussions. _Every second counted._

Minā frowned. “Who cares about a filthy human? You’re better off with me.”

“A _filthy_ human, huh?” he mumbled, giving her a sharp look. The color of his eyes changed to deep red. “Don’t you dare insult her,” he growled, causing her to flinch.

She was so different from the way she had been in the past, like a complete stranger. The longer he spoke to her, the more he got the sense that something about her was off. In the past, she would have never insulted anyone for anything, but now, she continued to spew the vilest things about a woman who she didn’t even know.

And there was something else that bugged him. How was it possible for a demon to come back to life? Once demons die, they turn to ash. There is nothing left of them. He himself had been witness to her death. He’d held her hand until the very end.

 _His Minā was dead._ Whoever the Minā before him was, it was not the same person.

“Forget about that human, she’s not worth it,” she said, and that was when he lost his temper.

“Stop fucking insulting her,” he growled and abruptly grabbed her wrist. The tone of his voice was ice-cold and steely when he said, “You are not Minā.”

“What do you mean? Of course I am!” she replied.

“Minā would never say such cruel things to me,” he growled. “The real Minā would have offered to help immediately, but you are just standing in my way. You might have copied her looks, but not her personality,” he snapped. “She would be appalled if she knew that someone evil like you tried to impersonate her.”

“W-What are you saying?!”

“You are an illusion,” he countered. “And a fucking shitty one at that. That blood mage must have been drunk when he created you. I don’t have time for this crap,” he hissed and turned on his heels. He stormed towards the door, intending to find Minji as soon as possible. He had lost valuable time—and he was sure that he had played right into the blood mage’s plan. The bastard must have created a distraction to separate him from Minji.

“I’m not letting you go,” a furious voice thundered from behind him. A wave of frost magic gathered in the doorway, building a crystal-clear wall made of ice. It blocked the only exit of the room.

“My only purpose is to stop you,” she shouted. “You won’t leave this room as long as I am here.”

Bottomless fury overwhelmed him. Hot and blazing, it manifested in the form of flickering light around his body.

“Then I have to kill you,” he replied. His chilling glower was nothing less than bloodthirsty, promising that she wouldn’t survive the night. Nobody was allowed to stand between him and Minji _._ He would get rid of everyone who tried, and this impostor was no exception.

* * *

Minji’s head felt fuzzy. She couldn’t see anything. All she heard were water droplets hitting concrete, but the soft noises were soon drowned out by the ominous sound of approaching footsteps. Someone was hiding in the darkness with her. The sounds got louder and louder, and with them, her pulse rose.

She kneeled with her palms touching the ground. Pushing herself up, she stood on shaky legs. Minji didn’t know what had happened, had no idea how she got here, and most importantly, she didn’t know where Baëkhyun was.

Being alone in the dark with an unfamiliar presence scared her. Her fear spurred her to make use of her magic. Golden light gathered in her palm, flooding the room. The darkness was driven back. Her gentle magic lit up every corner of the room, but the person she discovered only meters away from her was not who she had expected.

She gasped. She faltered. The light flickered.

Deep fear grew in her stomach. Nausea washed over her like a tidal wave and made her drown in a feeling she thought she had left behind long ago. It now became apparent that she hadn’t left it behind at all. She had never fully shaken off the dread, and she hadn’t come to terms with this part of her past either.

A shudder ran through her body, but this time, it wasn’t due to the cold. Her eyes watered.

“Hello, Minji,” he smirked. “Did you miss me?”

Her mouth opened, and yet she couldn’t get a word out. It was as if her vocal cords had stopped functioning. He had that kind of power over her. He was the only one who did.

In her desperation, she clung to the only shard of hope she retained. Even though she was frantic, she forced herself to concentrate on the bond she shared with Baëkhyun. He had to have noticed her despair, he had to know that something was wrong. However, the connection between them was gone. It seemed like it was blocked by something. Minji was cut off from him, didn’t feel the reassuring presence of his in the back of her mind. He was _gone_. There was only radio silence.

“Are you deaf?”

She flinched. Her feet moved on their own, shuffling backward. The room she was in wasn’t too big, so she wouldn’t be able to run forever. Her eyes moved to the stair in the opposite corner, longingly tracing the steps that led up to a door. She had to be in the basement of the building now—it was colder here. So much so that not even Baëkhyun’s leather jacket could keep her warm.

“So you won’t talk to me?” he laughed mirthlessly. “Pathetic.”

Her breaths came faster now. She hated him and she feared him. This had to be her worst nightmare come alive. He still wore his black hair slicked back, still looked like the perfect gentleman. But he was not. Looks could be deceiving.

“I can make you talk, you know?” Dongmin went on to say. “Like in the good old times.”

Minji was paralyzed. She couldn’t move anymore, was rooted to the spot. Her thoughts revolved around one question alone. It was the only thing she could actually put into words.

“H-How are you alive?” she stuttered. “B-Baëkhyun killed you. He did, I know it. You can’t be alive.”

Dongmin gave a smile that disgusted her, and her stomach churned with dread. “Do you think that he could stop me? You can’t be that naïve, Minji,” he replied. His tone slipped, became darker. “I’m here now. That’s the only thing that matters.”

“No,” she breathed. 

“Would it make you happy if I told you that I came back just for you?”

“No, no, no,” she repeated. The light in the room receded. Shadows formed in its corners and grew. She couldn’t even keep up this simple magic spell in her panic. With her eyes set on the only exit the room offered, she started sprinting.

Her blood rushed in her ears. With tunnel vision, she stared at the door at the top of the stair. She didn’t turn back to check where Dongmin was. She just _ran_ and maybe that was a mistake.

She took the first steps without any issues and reached out her arm to the door handle that was mere meters away from her. A terrified scream tore from her throat when a hand grabbed her ankle. It closed around it like a vice and pulled hard. She lost her balance, tried to hold onto something to prevent herself from falling, but there was _nothing_.

The world around her tilted. Tipping backward, she screamed. She landed on the sharp edges of the stair and plummeted to the ground of the basement. The impact knocked the air from her lungs.

Pain ate through her fragile body. Her vision exploded in white light, then turned black. With all her senses focused on the pain alone, she didn’t even notice Dongmin coming closer to her.

Laying on her side, she whimpered and hugged her body. Maybe she had broken a bone, she couldn’t tell. However, she was sure that she had an injury on her back. The fabric of her dress felt wet on her skin as if she was bleeding, and agony originated from that very same spot.

She coughed and shifted around, knowing that she couldn’t afford to stay on the ground. Through blurry vision, she saw Dongmin approach. Desperate to stay alive, she used the trump card she had up her sleeve. This was something she hadn’t been capable of when she had still been in a relationship with him, but now it would help her. Perhaps she could stall for long enough… Just until she was able to reunite with Baëkhyun.

With a simple flick of her wrist, glimmering white light manifested around her, forming a small dome. It encased her body and served as a protective barrier. She had no clue how long it would hold, if at all, but the sole sight of it calmed her racing heart.

Minji wondered whether Baëkhyun was able to feel her injuries or if he was completely cut off from her. He had been so busy speaking to that woman… maybe he didn’t care about her. Shouldn’t he have come looking for her by now? What was keeping him? That woman had been an illusion. She couldn’t have been real and Minji hoped that he had realized on his own.

“What’s with this magic you’re using? Did your boyfriend teach you?” Dongmin mocked as he came to stand in front of the dome.

Minji looked at him, and then it finally clicked. She pushed aside her fear and thought rationally. The person she was seeing couldn’t be real… Dongmin was dead and there was no way he could come back to life. It just wasn’t possible. 

“You’re not Dongmin,” she said.

He seemed surprised for the fraction of a second before his features took on a darker tone. “I look like him, I sound like him… why wouldn’t I be him?” he retorted.

“Because he’s dead,” she replied simply. “You are a blood mage, and I assume you are using illusions to trick Baëkhyun and me.”

Seeing Dongmin smirk made her sick to her stomach even while knowing that it wasn’t really him. He clapped mockingly. “Congratulations, you are one of the smarter humans I’ve had the pleasure of meeting,” he said sarcastically. “You saw through my trick faster than the demon.”

Minji sensed his foreign magic permeate the air in the room. It brought a disturbing coldness, looked like black smoke. Before her very eyes, Dongmin disappeared into thin air as if he had never existed. She was alone, but not for long. Out of the blue, an unfamiliar man appeared right in front of her. Surprised, she flinched back. The stranger she now faced seemed to be in his forties, had dark brown hair and sharp features. His gaze was void of any emotion—it freaked her out.

“My name is Hyungsik. Pleased to make your acquaintance,” he said without sounding serious about it.

Her breath hitched. “What do you want from us? I don’t recall ever meeting you or talking to you,” she sputtered nervously. As long as the light barrier separated them, she felt a little more confident, but her aching body protested every time she moved even the slightest bit.

He shrugged uncaringly, looking bored of the conversation already. “Isn’t it obvious? Have you never heard of blood magic before?” he sighed. “I gain power by killing, and it just so happens that humans with the ability to use magic are the most valuable sacrifices. Even more so if they are bonded. It’s  
a shame they are so hard to find.”

“Your only objective is to murder us,” she breathed, shivering violently.

“Yes. That way I’m killing two birds with one stone,” he replied. “My magic becomes stronger, and I’m getting rid of another bond.” He sneered at her, his black eyes blazing with hatred. “A regular human like you shouldn’t be in a relationship with a demon. It’s disgusting.”

“W-What do you care? Just leave us be,” she hissed. “It’s not like we’re hurting anyone.”

“You’re an eyesore. Humans using demon magic, being friends with them, and even being together with them… It’s against nature.”

“What kind of monster are you?” she snapped back at him.

“You’re not the first to ask me that,” he said and laughed as if it was funny. She curled her lips in distaste. “And just so you know, I’m not the only one who’s on the hunt for people like you and the demon. I would say that my friend is an even larger threat to you. Instead of calling me a monster, you should be glad you met me instead of him.”

“Who are you talking about?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Oh, you wouldn’t know him. He’s a very old demon, and he doesn’t like to show himself in the human world often,” Hyungsik said. “Goes by the name of Krïs.”

She had never heard of that person before, but she vowed to keep the name in mind. Perhaps someone of her friends was familiar with him… It sounded like he was dangerous—even more so than the blood mage.

“I’m growing tired of all this talking,” he eventually said. Instantly, Minji’s fear came back, hitting her hard. She concentrated on keeping up the protective barrier in between them.

“Oh, and by the way… It seems like I gave that demon a working distraction,” Hyungsik laughed. “I figured he’d be here sooner, but no. My spell is giving him a hard time.”

“He will come,” she said stubbornly. “I know it.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure, human. If I kill you before he reaches this room, he’s done for.”

Fed up with all the talking, Hyungsik summoned his deadly magic, let it gather around his palms. It was black, yet interlaced with flickers of dark red. He hurled it right at her barrier, and she had to admit that the impact was incredibly hard to withstand. He repeated the same motions again and again. She stood no chance against the onslaught of attacks.

The dome broke. Her magic shattered like glass. Tiny shards of light rained down on her and evaporated. Aghast, she stared at him with wide eyes and barely managed to jump out of the way before he got his hands on her. Walking was painful, running even more so, but she wasn’t about to give up.

Gritting her teeth, she evaded another attack. Light gathered around her fists. This man had used cheap tricks to defeat her easily, using her old fear against her. That gave her all the more reason not to go down without a fight. She would prove to him that she wasn’t the easy target he thought her to be.

Surprised by the sudden change in her attitude, Hyungsik let out a snort. “What’s that, human? You want to suffer a little longer?”

“Shut up,” she hissed. She blocked out the constant throbbing of her back, ignored the blood that soaked her dress. Her priority was to survive and an injury couldn’t hold her back even if it hurt. She wouldn’t lose her life to this maniac. Now, more than ever, she was grateful to have met Tao and to have practiced her magic with him. If she hadn’t done that, she would now be even easier bait for the mage.

Swirling shadows shot towards her, and she only had a second to evade them. Minji cursed and gritted her teeth as pain flared in her back. She gathered magic in her hands and aimed it at him. A blindingly bright beam of light flew at Hyungsik. It momentarily stopped him from getting closer to her, but other than that, it didn’t do much.

He was more experienced than her when it came to magic and his powers were significantly stronger. She needed to stall until Baëkhyun arrived. Alone, she stood no chance. Nervousness and fear clouded her mind, and she wondered again why he took so long. Did he really believe that the illusion had been real? Her heart hurt when she remembered how easily he had forgotten about her as soon as the impostor had appeared.

Minji briefly lost her focus and that nearly cost her head. She ducked down fast and Hyungsik’s aggressive magic missed her by a hair’s breadth.

“Fuck, it hurts,” she hissed, black spots manifesting in her vision. She could tell that her body wouldn’t endure this for much longer. Desperation began to gnaw at her. The light in her hands dimmed.

“Are you giving up now, human?” Hyungsik said.

Giving up wasn’t an option for her. It was something she would never do. Maybe she could use her magic once more. Just one more time. But the burning in her hands and her exhaustion were clear warning signs that she was overstepping a boundary.

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded behind her. She flinched yet couldn’t turn around in time. Her surroundings burst with light. Everything turned stark white.

Insane madness crashed into her mind and had her gasp. The emotion was raw and unbridled, catching her off guard. She had never felt anything this overwhelming, this devastating. Boiling fury coursed through her blood. It ripped at the seams of her sanity, fraying them as if they were made of fabric. She could hardly stop the threads from unraveling under the intense pull of the fury she was challenged with.

She should have been scared by this, but the opposite was the case. As soon as she realized who the emotion belonged to and whose magic was enveloping her, she was so relieved she nearly cried.

The bright magic that had poured into the room like a wild vortex slowly receded. Her vision returned as her eyes became used to the light in the basement. Hyungsik stared at someone behind her, his lips forming a snarl. He’d used his own dark magic in order to shield himself from the impact, but his hair was singed and part of his clothes burned by hot light.

“That was only the beginning,” a sinister voice said from behind her. The hollow sounds of footsteps on the concrete ground neared her. “There is more to come.”

Minji didn’t recall when she had last heard him speak with such contempt in his words, with such pure evil. His hatred burned in her being. It tainted and poisoned her heart, messed with her mind. A lot of willpower was needed in order not to succumb to it.

“Seems like I wasn’t quick enough,” Hyungsik muttered under his breath before he raised his voice. “Doesn’t matter, I am going to kill you both. You arriving here doesn’t change that fact.”

Baëkhyun didn’t grace him with an answer and passed her, lingering in front of her. A thin layer of ice covered the back of his right hand and his grey shirt was a bit torn, but she didn’t sense any pain from him—at least he wasn’t injured. Their connection seemed to be back to normal now. Being separated and unable to sense his feelings had been scary for her.

“You’re late,” Minji said, exhaling.

“Not too late for revenge,” he countered without ever taking his ruby stare off of Hyungsik.

“Are you angry, demon?” Hyungsik taunted. “I figured you would like to reunite with your old girlfriend. Looks like I was wrong. Did you kill her?”

Again, Baëkhyun didn’t answer him and continued to stare him down. His eyes screamed murder. The light in the room flickered madly. It pulsed in sync with his seething fury, creating an eerie atmosphere. A peculiar red hue mixed into its usual white glow. It looked bizarre.

“That’s pretty fucked up, even for a demon,” Hyungsok continued to mock with a derogatory sneer on his face. “Now you’ve killed her twice. Are you proud of yourself?”

Minji couldn’t hear him talk any longer. He was disgusting on so many levels, knowing exactly how to rub more salt into an already infected wound. “Shut up!” she yelled. “He never killed her. Not today and neither in the past.”

Hyungsok snorted, rolling his eyes. “A lowly human should know when it’s better to keep quiet,” he countered.

“You’re a human yourself,” she retorted, infuriated. That actually got him to shut his mouth for a moment. He curled his lips in anger, scowling at her. Black wisps of magic began to dance around his palm.

“Hold your tongue,” he growled. “Don’t compare me to the likes of _you_.”

“Enough talking,” Baëkhyun spat. “You’re testing my patience.” Just like he had done before, he summoned his weapon of choice. He grabbed its hilt and angled the tip of the silver rapier towards Hyungsik.

Before he attacked the blood mage, he threw her a glance over his shoulder, the seriousness in his steely gaze nailing her to the ground. “Leave the rest to me. Don’t interfere!”

She couldn’t even open her mouth, so quickly did he run towards Hyungsik, leaving her behind. As agile as ever, he neared the blood mage, using his demonic strength to his advantage. With his white braids flying over his shoulder, he jabbed the rapier at Hyungsik.

However, the blood mage was all too aware of Baëkhyun’s superior speed and relied on his magic to dodge. Tendrils of pure shadows rose from the tips of his fingers to create a nearly impenetrable wall between them. Baëkhyun’s blade was deflected. He momentarily lost his footing and stumbled sideways, but quickly caught himself.

Minji watched with bated breath, followed their movements with her eyes as they danced around each other. Hyungsik soon realized that he needed to come up with a better plan in order to fight the demon offensively, and so he created a sword of his own. It was of a bloody red color, similar to his sinister magic. The clanking of their blades filled the room, along with a curse from Baëkhyun when his opponent managed to slash his upper arm. Burning stinging flashed through Minji’s body. She hissed while Baëkhyun didn’t show a reaction other than anger.

He was hellbent on overpowering his opponent, fueled by the dark desire to kill. The sooner he ended the blood mage’s life, the faster she would be out of harm’s way. He was done taking chances, and he wouldn’t let her slip through his fingers a second time tonight. His grudge against the blood mage had turned into something personal when he had dared to hurt her. And Baëkhyun would make him pay.

Minji became increasingly nervous the longer their confrontation held on. She wanted to help Baëkhyun since it looked like he and Hyungsik were evenly matched. Neither of them was able to gain the upper hand in the fight. It was a constant back and forth. Baëkhyun’s rapier slashed into Hyungsik’s shoulder, but he wasn’t phased by the injury and continued to attack as if nothing had happened.

Her indecisiveness made the soft light in her palms flicker on and off. Baëkhyun had told her to stay out of it, and her painful injuries were more than enough reason to take it easy. However, she refused to stand idly by.

The moment Hyungsik’s blade dug into Baëkhyun’s arm, she reached the end of her patience. Baëkhyun spat a low curse, his red eyes widening as he realized that he wouldn’t be able to avoid the next attack. He raised his rapier to dodge the worst of it.

Minji was quick to intervene. Her light manifested in between Baëkhyun and Hyungsik, blocking off the latter’s magic. Doing so cost a lot of energy, but she was able to deflect his blood magic long enough for Baëkhyun to recover.

Using Hyungsik’s distraction to his advantage, he saw his chance. His lips curled into a demonic smirk as he plunged his rapier straight into the other’s abdomen. Following up with a strong kick to his stomach, he broke his balance and sent him to the ground.

Baëkhyun’s eyes glowed scarlet. He wasn’t in a hurry when he approached Hyungsik, arrogantly twirling his rapier. “Groveling in the dirt suits you well, scum,” he muttered with a tone that could have been called amused if it hadn’t been smudged with scorn. “You’re not leaving this place alive.”

Hyungsik coughed and wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth. He glowered at Baëkhyun, not showing any fear a all. If anything, he looked strangely intrigued by the situation, unused to being on the losing side. He pushed himself up with difficulty, kneeling on the ground.

“Very funny,” he mumbled to himself, his lips twitching amusedly.

“Freak,” Baëkhyun cursed, moving the tip of his blade to his throat. “Shouldn’t have challenged me.”

“I won’t be the last to challenge you,” he smirked. “As soon as _he_ hears that I’m dead he will investigate. He isn’t going to let you off easily.”

“Who the fuck are you talking about?” Baëkhyun hissed.

“Oh, you know, just the person who killed your friend Lůhan,” Hyungsik replied nonchalantly.

Baëkhyun and Minji froze, their eyes widening. Baëkhyun hid his surprise behind a scowl. “Is there anything you _don’t_ know about me and the people close to me?” he asked tensely. “Gives me all the more reason to silence you. Who killed Lůhan?”

“I may or may not have told the human,” he laughed. “If she remembers, she could potentially reveal it to you.”

“Of course I remember,” Minji replied anxiously. How could she forget that name? It was burned into her mind, and she would do all it took to find more about this person.

“Then I can kill you now without wasting more time,” Baëkhyun said. The madness in him flared, lighting an inferno in her. This emotion was foreign to her as she never felt this kind of hatred for anyone. Neither was she familiar with his boiling desire to kill.

Part of her hated that Baëkhyun had to kill in order for them to survive, but the rational part of her knew that the blood mage deserved nothing but that. It was either them or him. Just how many demons and humans had this lunatic murdered? It had to be a large number. The idea alone made her shudder.

She watched as Baëkhyun pierced his heart with his blade, and she watched as the blood came gushing from his chest. The sickening view caused her to swallow hard as she fought down the bile that rose in her throat. She staggered back. Hyungsik collapsed on the ground, not moving anymore. Baëkhyun stared at him contemptuously, satisfaction flickering through his ruby eyes.

The moment the blood mage died, the spell that had been put on the building evaporated. Instantly, the atmosphere lightened and Minji could finally breathe without suffocating on her fear. _They were free._

Minji’s body had been running on adrenaline alone, and now that the danger had passed, the pain in her back hit her like a truck. She could barely stand on her legs. To make matters worse, she had used too much magic and now felt drained and tired. 

She avoided looking at Hyungsik’s body, moving her blurry gaze to Baëkhyun who walked towards her with quick and purposeful steps. Stumbling to him, she nearly tripped over her own feet. He caught her and steadied her, carefully holding her up. His arms avoided the injuries on her back, engulfing her waist. Relieved tears welled up in her eyes. She heaved a sigh, the tension falling away from her body at last.

“Baëkhyun,” she mumbled into his chest, relishing in the sense of safety that he gave her. She refused to let go of him and clung to him desperately. He supported her weight and let her lean on him.

“I’m sorry, Minji,” he said quietly, pressing his face into her hair. “I should have been with you faster, but I was stupid and got distracted. It’s my fault you were injured.”

She could hardly form a coherent thought in her exhaustion, but she gathered enough strength to verbalize what she had on her mind. “It’s not your fault,” she breathed. “H-He also… tricked me at first. I freaked out when I saw an illusion of my ex.”

His burned-out anger was reignited, and he held her protectively. Finally, he knew why she was so distraught. The encounter must have triggered some bad memories that she had locked away. His hate for the blood mage was immeasurable. If he could, he would kill him all over again.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” he said lowly. His soft lips brushed her temple as he planted an apologetic kiss on her skin. “Minji, you are in a lot of pain,” he remarked worriedly.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”

But she wasn’t fine and he knew it. His eyes darkened in concern when her breaths shortened. “I have to get you to a hospital,” he muttered. “This isn’t good.”

It was the last she heard him say before her body decided that enough was enough. The panic, the fear and everything she had experienced in this short amount of time all hit her at once. She stood no chance. Her mind shut down. Everything turned dark.


	38. Doubt and Trust

Baëkhyun wasn’t used to fear. He didn’t experience this sinking feeling in his gut often. It was a foreign sensation that normally didn’t have a place in his life. If he was threatened by someone or something, he simply relied on his demonic strength to get rid of it. Now, however, his fear wasn’t centered around something he could control. What was happening right now was far beyond his reach. His hands were tied. He had to trust the human doctors to help her, and he didn’t like that. The fear in his stomach irritated him. He glared at the white tiles of the hospital room, leaning his back against the wall.

The entire situation had been a mess. When he had left the abandoned building with Minji’s unconscious body in his arms, the group of humans outside had freaked out. They had made a huge fuss, asking what had happened. Thankfully, Jisoo had the good sense to call an ambulance and then convince the others to go home. She knew that something bad had happened while Baëkhyun and Minji had been inside the house, and Baëkhyun couldn’t keep her from riding along in the ambulance.

Minji’s state had raised many questions among the nurses and doctors at the hospital, but he and Jisoo had convinced them of a made-up story. It wasn’t like they could tell the truth. As far as the humans were concerned, Minji had fallen down a decrepit stair by accident while they had been exploring an abandoned building.

Her injuries had been treated earlier, but she had yet to wake up. In the meantime, Baëkhyun had used Jisoo’s phone to contact Läy who had only just arrived. When it came to dealing with humans, he was the person Baëkhyun relied on—even if he wouldn’t openly admit to it. Läy looked as worried as everyone else in the room, knitting his brows while he watched Minji’s unconscious form on the bed. 

“You were lucky to get out of this alive,” he said. “At least the blood mage is taken care of now and can’t cause any more harm.”

“That’s the only upside to this,” Baëkhyun muttered. He was upset, tapping his foot impatiently.

“I can’t believe you encountered a blood mage in that weird house,” Jisoo whispered, her eyes wide open. “They are scary as fuck.”

“That guy was a creep,” Baëkhyun agreed. “He separated us and confronted her with an illusion of her ex. It must have been terrible for her. I wish I could have prevented that.”

Upon hearing that, Läy’s expression darkened considerably. “He did _what_?” he hissed. “Damn it, that’s fucked up. As expected from one of these mages.”

“He was quite full of himself,” Baëkhyun continued, his eyes turning red. “And he’s connected to the guy who is responsible for Lůhan’s death. I need to talk to Minji about this later.”

“What? Are you serious?” Läy asked, disbelief written all over his face. “We’ve been searching for leads for so long, this is incredible. Who is it?”

Baëkhyun sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “He only told Minji, so we have to wait until she wakes up. It’s inconvenient, but apparently, all he gave away was a name… which means we’ll have to ask around. Maybe Suhø and the others can help with that.”

“Right, we should all meet up soon to discuss this. They’ve been waiting for their revenge for a long time.”

Jisoo didn’t know what exactly they were talking about and didn’t really listen since she was busy sending a text to Chaeyoung. She had agreed to keep her friend updated on the situation. So far, not much had changed though. Jisoo was worried about Minji and she also felt guilty about the situation, wishing she had made more of an effort to stop them from entering the house. Even though she wasn’t a true witch yet, she knew many things about supernatural beings, most importantly that it was better to stay away from them.

“Please wake up soon,” she whispered, clutching her phone as she gazed at Minji’s ashen face.

* * *

When she regained consciousness, Minji felt a painful throbbing in her entire body. Her back and her head hurt the most. Groaning, she attempted to remember what had happened, but she couldn’t explain where the pain came from or where she currently was. She heard soft voices and noticed the typical smell of a hospital surrounding her; a mix between sanitizer and cleaning agent. It made her panic. Had she been in an accident? Had something bad happened to her? The lack of knowledge about the situation freaked her out and prompted her to open her heavy eyelids. At first, she didn’t see much since her eyes couldn’t handle the brightness of the hospital room yet, but eventually, they got used to it. She lay in a bed, wearing a hospital gown.

When she raised her head, she spotted three people who stared at her as if she had just risen from the dead. A few seconds ticked by and nobody said anything, too surprised to give a reaction. One of them managed to get over his shock quicker than the others and hurried to her bedside, taking her cold hand. She gazed into his blue eyes, and the first thought that struck her was how gorgeous they were.

“Minji, you’re awake!” he said, visibly relieved. He heaved a sigh and his shoulders sank. “I’ve been waiting an eternity for you to wake up. It’s noon already.”

She studied him for another moment without answering, looking at his white hair and the chain that stretched over his nose. _Weird_. Instinctively, she pulled her hand away from his grasp and rested it on her stomach. He froze, gazing at her in stunned silence. Maybe he looked a bit hurt, but it was hard to tell. Unsure what to do, Minji looked at her friends Jisoo and Yixing instead, but they were at a loss for words.

“I understand if you’re mad at me, and I want you to know that I’m very sorry about what happened,” the white-haired man said, regaining her attention. She frowned deeply.

“Who even are you?” she countered, more than a little upset. She didn’t understand why Yixing and Jisoo would let a stranger enter this room and stand so close to her. A heavy silence fell over the room. The man now looked uncomfortable and distraught at the same time. He furrowed his brows, curled his hands to fists.

“Why would you ask that?” he finally replied. His voice was different from before, glazed with sadness.

“What do you mean?” she said, irritated. “I’ve never seen you before. Why are you here? It’s creeping me out, to be honest.”

“Are you joking?” he asked helplessly. “This isn’t funny, it really isn’t.”

“Would you please leave?” she countered, losing her cool quickly. She didn’t trust this person one bit and that he was so close made her uncomfortable. She looked at Yixing for help, and thankfully he reacted immediately.

“Why don’t we tell the nurse you woke up, Minji? A doctor should speak to you soon,” Yixing said, taking the stranger’s wrist and pulling him out of the room. Jisoo followed them, sending Minji a smile over her shoulder. It didn’t reach her eyes.

“We’re back in a moment,” she said, and then they were gone.

As soon as the door was closed behind them, Baëkhyun lost his nerves. He ran his hand through his hair, cursing under his breath. “Fuck, this can’t happen,” he muttered. “This has to be a cruel joke! Why doesn’t she remember me?”

Yixing didn’t answer, quickly hurrying after the next nurse he saw and informing her that Minji was awake. Consequently, the nurse sent one of the doctors to the hospital room, but he asked them to wait outside.

Baëkhyun’s emotions were a wild vortex, a mix between anger and desperation. However, he tried his best to keep them under control. After all, she was able to feel them too, and if she really didn’t remember him, then she wouldn’t remember their bond and anything connected to it either. He didn’t want to make things harder for her than they already were.

“It’s a fucking nightmare,” he said, frustratedly crossing his arms. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“Calm down and wait. Maybe it’s not as bad as it seems,” Yixing said.

“Easy for you to say. She didn’t forget _you_ ,” Baëkhyun replied and threw him an accusing glare.

“Perhaps she injured her head when you fought the blood mage,” Yixing sighed. “Wait for what the doctor will tell us.”

Many minutes passed. To the three of them, it felt like the wait was endless. The longer it held on, the more restless they became. Baëkhyun leaned against the wall, scowling deeply, while Jisoo attempted to distract herself with her phone. Yixing was the most composed of them, but even he grew increasingly impatient.

After a grueling thirty minutes, the door finally opened and the doctor returned. His expression was serious. It was apparent that something was up.

“Are you Lee Minji’s friends?” he asked right away, and they answered yes, eager to hear an update on the situation.

“I spoke to her just now, and the issue is clear to me. She is suffering from dissociative amnesia. This type of memory loss is typically caused by overwhelming stress or trauma. While she remembers her name and who she is, all recent memories are gone,” the doctor said, taking a look at his notes. “Fortunately, this condition is only temporary. In other cases of dissociative amnesia, patients have recovered all of their memories either on their own or through specific triggers and therapy.”

“So she will be fine?” Baëkhyun asked.

“Yes. It’s hard to say for how long it will last, whether it will be a few hours, a week, or longer, but I’m confident that she will remember soon,” he said. “Does she live alone?”

“No, she lives with me,” Baëkhyun replied. “I’m her boyfriend.”

“I see, then we ought to talk about the treatment she should receive from now on. There are different ways to go about it. How about we talk in my office?”

Baëkhyun agreed, wanting to get it over with as soon as possible. While he followed the doctor, Yixing and Jisoo opted to stay with Minji instead. They reentered the hospital room and found her sitting on her bed, staring down at her hands with a frown on her face.

“Minji,” Jisoo said to get her attention. She and Yixing came to stand next to the bed, smiling at her.

“Oh, you’re back,” Minji said, tentatively mirroring their smiles.

“How are you feeling? The doctor told us you don’t remember what happened in the past months,” Jisoo said cautiously, waiting for her reaction.

“That’s what he told me too. It’s weird though. I don’t feel like anything is missing… The last date I can recall is… sometime in May?” she mumbled unsurely.

“I see… it’s November now,” Jisoo said. Minji thought she looked worried, and so did Yixing. It bothered her that she didn’t see the full picture. She got the impression that she had forgotten crucial details about her life.

“I don’t remember where those injuries come from either. Can you tell me?” she asked.

“You… you had an accident,” Yixing said slowly. Minji knew in a second that this wasn’t the whole truth. She had known him for years, and it was rare to hear him speak with hesitation.

“What kind of accident?” she prodded.

Jisoo and Yixing sighed in unison. “You slipped and fell down a stair,” Jisoo explained, but she was omitting something. Minji saw through her easily.

“You’re acting strangely,” Minji muttered, feeling upset that they were keeping secrets from her now. Weren’t they close friends? Shouldn’t she be able to trust them? Everything that had happened since she had woken up had been peculiar, to say the least. What bothered her most was that white-haired guy who had been in her room earlier.

“Who is that man from before, by the way?” she asked. “Why would you let a stranger in here?”

Yixing and Jisoo exchanged a long glance before any of them answered her. “He’s far from a stranger,” Yixing said. “You forgot about him. All memories you share with him were made in the time span you can’t recall.”

“You should ask him about the details later, okay?” Jisoo smiled. “You can trust him. That’s what you should keep in mind for now.”

“Are you sure?” she asked unconvincedly. If she had learned anything in her life, then it was that she shouldn’t put blind trust in men she didn’t know.

“Yes,” Yixing added. “He is living with you… and you are very close.”

“Living…. With me?” Minji stuttered. Astonishment flickered over her face. What in the world had happened these past months? It sounded like she had become a completely different person.

Their conversation came to a halt when the door opened and said man returned, holding a few documents in his hands. He closed the door behind him and approached the group, looking tense.

“You’re back,” Yixing said. From his behavior towards the other man, Minji could deduce that they knew each other well, perhaps they were even friends. Still, she wasn’t sure what to think of him. The first impression she got of him was that he was a standoffish person with a strange style of dress. She had never seen anyone with his hairstyle, and that silver chain he wore in the middle of his face was intriguing. Something about him was _different_ , but she couldn’t place her finger on what it was.

“Yeah. The doctor told me how to proceed from here on,” the white-haired man said. “He also said it’s better if she is home where she feels comfortable.”

“Good, that means you can go home soon, Minji,” Jisoo grinned.

“Yes,” Minji mumbled, feeling overwhelmed. Her eyes moved from her friend to the stranger who avoided her eyes. He held the documents from the doctor in a tense grip, wrinkling the paper.

“What’s your name?” she asked. The simple question was followed by an awkward silence. His head snapped around, and his eyes finally met hers. She swore she saw a flash of red in them, but she blamed it on her imagination.

“It’s Baëkhyun,” he said in a hollow tone. He sounded tired, and she got the sudden urge to comfort him.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t seem to remember you,” she continued, crinkling the blanket under her shaky hands. “Please don’t be upset. I’m sure it’s only temporary.” At least, that was what she hoped.

“Don’t worry about it,” he sighed. “It’s not your fault.” The pained expression that briefly crossed his face made her heart ache for some reason.

* * *

Minji was somewhat put off when Baëkhyun and her reached her front door and he knew her door code. He just punched it in like it was the most ordinary thing to do and opened the door for them. She didn’t mention her unease to him, but she was sure that he noticed it anyway. Sending her an odd glance, he let her walk in first and followed her, closing the door. Now she was alone with a stranger, and it made her very nervous. Maybe she should have taken Yixing up on his offer to stay with him for now…

First, she walked into the kitchen where she looked around. Everything was as she remembered, thankfully. None of the furniture was out of place.

“Are you hungry?” Baëkhyun asked, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms.

“A little,” she answered. It was late afternoon by now, and the last time she had eaten had been in the hospital around noon.

“Sit down and I’ll make something for you,” he said and didn’t wait for an answer before he got to work. She watched him opening the fridge and rummaging through its contents before he fetched a pan from the cupboard.

“You don’t have to, I can do it myself,” she replied. It made her feel odd to have a person she didn’t know cook for her in her own home. And she felt even stranger when she noticed what he was planning to make. Kimchi fried rice was one of her favorite dishes—and it couldn’t be a coincidence that he chose that of all things.

“The doctor specifically told me to make sure you don’t strain yourself,” he said firmly, continuing to fetch more ingredients in the drawers of the kitchen. “Just sit down and wait until I’m done.”

“But—”

“No,” he snapped, but he immediately regretted it when she flinched. “Listen, I just want the best for you. And cooking isn’t a big deal. I don’t mind.”

“F-Fine,” she mumbled unsurely and sat down at the table. She didn’t know what to make of him, and she continuously wondered why she had let him live with her. What kind of relationship had they shared? Were they a couple? She was hesitant to ask since she was scared of the answer she would receive.

Yixing had told her that she could trust him, but she wasn’t so sure about that. She wanted to see for herself what kind of person this Baëkhyun was, and so far, she hadn’t been able to gather much. His behavior was distant, and he hardly talked. Maybe he was always like this, or maybe it was because of her memory loss. She had seen a hint of sadness and disappointment in his expression earlier. It made her wonder what he thought of this situation they were in.

Eventually, he finished the food and placed it on a plate right in front of her. Thanking him, she grabbed her chopsticks and began to eat, noting that it tasted good. Before she knew it, she had gobbled down the entire dish. He studied her quietly, not saying a word the entire time.

She curled her fingers around the fabric of her sleeves, unsurely watching him. The question that had been flowing through her mind this entire time fell from her lips before she could stop herself. “Can I really trust you?” she asked quietly.

For a small fraction of a second, his eyes widened. A hint of pain flickered through them. “Yes,” he answered. “But that doesn’t mean you will, does it?” Resignation layered the tone of his voice. He turned away and left the room.

A foreign emotion manifested in her. It seemed to mirror his feelings, and it confused her. She felt a connection to him, but she didn’t know where it came from or why it was there. The burning curiosity within her mixed with caution. Minji wanted to get to the bottom of this, to regain her stupid memories as fast as possible. He obviously meant something to her, she just didn’t know _what_. She clenched her jaw, glaring at the floor in exasperation. Waiting a few weeks for her memories to return was out of the question for her. She hated dealing with the constant puzzlement and the pitiful glances she had received from her friends. They made her feel like she was seriously ill.

She needed her memories back, and she would start with checking her phone for answers. Maybe she could trigger something in her mind. Grabbing her smartphone, she trudged to the living room and sat down cross-legged on the sofa.

First, she checked her social media accounts. She went on Instagram where she scrolled through her feed, seeing pictures of Jisoo, Chaeyoung and several old friends from high school. However, there were also pictures of unfamiliar people among them. One showed a man with black hair and a red scar over his eye hugging a smiling woman. It had been posted two days ago, and Minji had already liked it but didn’t remember doing so. She wondered who they were and how she had gotten to know them.

Sadly, Instagram provided her with no answers. It only roused more questions. Sighing, she went on to her photo folder. She found some pictures of what seemed like an amusement park—and to her astonishment, she saw a selfie with the man and the woman from Instagram as well as Baëkhyun. The latter was present in surprisingly many photos, some of them looking very random.

One time, he was sitting on the sofa, concentratedly playing a video game. Another time, he glared at the camera, looking pissed-off about something. His eyes were scarlet in that photo. Intrigued, she zoomed in to get a better look. How was it possible for his eyes to be this vibrantly red?

“Perhaps a trick of the light… or contact lenses,” she mumbled. This was all so strange and unexplainable to her. And the more peculiar it got, the more she wanted her memories back. So she continued looking through her photos until she stumbled upon a series of selfies that she had taken together with him. The woman she saw in those photos was like a stranger to her. She had a carefree smile on her lips, clinging to Baëkhyun’s waist in a very fond manner. He didn’t seem to dislike it, on the contrary. He was hugging her back and he looked rather confident. Much different from how he was right now.

Minji’s heart sank. The longer she glanced at the photos, the more her head began to ache. Dull pain invaded her mind. Groaning, she touched her temples.

“Stop playing around with your phone. You should rest so your headache doesn’t get worse,” Baëkhyun said sternly. He had appeared in the living room just now and watched her with an unreadable gaze.

She frowned in suspicion. “How did you know I have a headache?”

“I didn’t. It was just a guess,” he muttered, avoiding her eyes. “Now get up and head to bed. You need to rest.”

“Fine, I will. This thing is bothering me, though,” she grumbled, tugging at the bandage that covered her left hand and wrist. “I want to take it off.” It always got in the way, and she didn’t even know why she had to wear it.

He sent her an alarmed look. “No, leave it!”

“But why?”

“I think you’re not ready to see what’s… underneath it.”

“Now I want to see it even more!”

He sighed and took her hand to move it away from the bandage. His blue eyes bore into hers. “Don’t touch the bandage, okay?”

“Is there a really gross wound underneath?”

“No, it’s not that,” he grumbled. “Just trust me on this.”

His secrecy didn’t sit right with her. It made her suspicious. Was he trying to hide something from her that she had previously forgotten about? What in the world could be underneath that bandage if it wasn’t an injury? Maybe she had gotten an ugly tattoo or something. But he certainly wouldn’t make such a fuss over a tattoo. There was something more to it… and maybe, she would uncover it sooner or later, but for now, she wanted to rest.

“You are _stubborn_ ,” she muttered under her breath, but she did as he said and walked into her bedroom.

* * *

She didn’t know for how long she had been asleep when she heard the door to her room click open. The sound roused her from her light sleep, but she didn’t open her eyes, stayed curled up on the bed. Footsteps neared her bed and the mattress moved when he sat on its edge. She wondered why he was here and asked herself whether she should say something. In the end, she simply waited for what he would do.

Minutes went by without any of them moving. He lingered at her side, presumably watching her in the dim light falling in through the door. She heard the rustling of fabric and felt his hand caressing her cheek. It brushed over her hair in such a familiar way that had her think that he must have done this many times before. And what puzzled her was that she wasn’t put off by the gesture. In fact, she enjoyed it and craved more of it.

A murmur reached her ears. At first, she didn’t understand the mumbled words, but then he leaned in and whispered, “Get better soon. I’m waiting for you.” The softness of his lips grazed her cheek as he planted a sweet kiss on it. Her breath hitched.

Without warning, her mind got pierced by a memory. It flashed before her eyes, blinding and vivid and so, so beautiful.

_“I want to kiss you,” he uttered, leaning his forehead against hers. The last rays of the sun vanished and they were surrounded by darkness, but not for long. Glowing orbs of light came into existence, hovering close to them. They illuminated his face, allowing her to see the silver chain stretching over his slender nose and his plush lips that were very tempting to her._

_She smiled and leaned towards him to capture them with her own, feeling his soft skin, relishing the gentle touch. Their kiss was slow and innocent. He tasted sweet after having had one or two cocktails, but the familiar hint of cinnamon was still there, just a bit fainter than normal. She was very close to him, his upper body touching hers as he caressed her back, causing her to shudder at the sensation. Sighing contently, she buried her hands in his silky white hair, tugging playfully on one of his braids._

The memory was followed by a sharp pain in her skull. She opened her eyes and gasped, making Baëkhyun flinch back.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked urgently, hovering over her with overwhelming worry shining in his gaze.

She couldn’t find words, staring at him with wide eyes. Her cheeks heated up as she recalled the amazing kiss they had shared in her memory, and how elated it made her feel. Just _who_ was he? Why were they so close? Was he her boyfriend? That would explain why he lived with her. A lot of things would make sense if that was the case.

“Y-You kissed me,” she finally stuttered, blushing more when she became aware of how stupid she sounded.

He looked at her weirdly, muttering, “Does it bother you?”

She sat up, leaning her back against the headboard of the bed. Mulling over his question for a moment, she came to the conclusion that it hadn’t bothered her at all. If anything, she wanted to relive the moment she had seen in her memories, and a chaste kiss on her cheek wasn’t enough to quell the longing she felt.

“No,” she replied. “I saw a memory just now. Baëkhyun, who are you to me? Are you my boyfriend?”

His eyes grew wide, hopeful. “Yes, I have been for a while,” he explained quickly. “What did you remember?” He leaned towards her, propping himself up on the bed and getting quite close to her. His distant behavior from earlier was history.

“I’m not sure what I saw,” she said. “We were at a beach, the sun was setting, and… and you kissed me.”

He smirked, looking rather proud of himself. “Of course you would remember _that_ first.”

“Baëkhyun,” she whispered hopefully when an idea manifested in her mind. It was he who had triggered the memory, so perhaps he would be able to do it again? It was worth a try!

“Kiss me again,” she demanded.

“Huh?” He gaped at her, wondering if he had heard her correctly. “Really? You’re usually not this straightforward,” he chuckled, amusement coating his voice. “But I’m not complaining.”

Minji blushed and bit her lip, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Why did she have to blurt that out? She literally knew nothing about him other than the fact that they had kissed at some point in time. That wasn’t a whole lot.

But Baëkhyun wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass. He leaned in to kiss her, connecting their lips while he held her gaze. Immediately, she felt a powerful emotion grow in her chest. Warmth pooled in her stomach. She didn’t hesitate to return the kiss, pulling him in and wrapping her arms around his back. He propped himself up with his hands left and right of her on the headboard.

Minji waited for another memory, hoped to see a snippet of her life, but nothing happened. Despite this, she wasn’t deterred, too focused on the kiss to think about anything else. The fast beats of her heart were proof that he meant something to hear—they had kissed like this many times before. His touch, his proximity gave her the sense of safety she had been longing for after today’s hospital visit. She genuinely enjoyed it. He cupped her cheek with his hand, pecking the corner of her lips before he leaned back, tilting his head and watching her.

“A-Are your eyes red?” she gasped. He visibly cringed, looking down at the ground and avoiding her prying gaze. “They are!”

“No, you’re imagining it. You must be tired, it’s the middle of the night,” he insisted.

“Look at me again,” she said stubbornly. He turned his head and glanced at her. His eyes were sky-blue, no trace of red visible. “Did I really imagine that?” she breathed.

“Of course you did. Why would my eyes be red?” he grinned. “Silly.”

He watched her for a moment and decided that it was way too early for her to be awake. A glance at the clock on her nightstand revealed that it was three am. “I woke you up and I’m sorry about that,” he said and got up from the bed. “You should sleep some more.”

“W-Wait!” she called after him when a thought struck her. “Where do you sleep?”

“I don’t… I mean… on the sofa?” he stuttered, biting his lip.

There was an awkward pause between them. Minji looked at him contemplatively, hugging the blanket to her chest. She had an idea, but it was probably too much. He was practically a stranger to her right now… then again, it didn’t _feel_ like he was a stranger. Since she had seen the memory, she was surprisingly comfortable in his presence which was anything but normal for her. And the unexplainable connection they shared wasn’t normal either.

Her heart palpitated nervously when she finally spoke. “Do you want to stay here?” she asked shyly.

Now she had caught him off guard. His jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

He smirked and wasted no time getting on the bed. Minji slid back under her cover and rolled on her side, watching him. He pulled the cover over himself, up to his waist, and watched her silently. She marveled at the silver-white color of his hair. It was illuminated by the moonlight falling through the window. The chain he wore reflected it and glimmered, as did his gorgeous eyes. She was attracted to him, gravitated towards him.

“Sugar, if you keep staring at me, you won’t fall asleep. I know that I’m very handsome, but still,” he teased. The husky sound of his voice sent a shudder down her spine. “Your injuries are not healed, and they’ll hurt if you don’t rest and recover.”

“Why do you care so much?” she asked in astonishment.

The smirk on his sharp lips only grew. “Because I’m your boyfriend.”

“T-That… is a good point,” she breathed, flustered. “Okay, I’m going to sleep now.”

“Mhm.”

“I’m almost asleep.”

“Yes.”

“Just one more minute.”

“Minji,” he snorted.

“What?”

“If you don’t stop talking, you’ll never fall asleep,” he chuckled. His hand moving over her shoulder when he shimmied closer to hug her. Her body instinctively leaned into his touch.

“Close your eyes. We can talk more tomorrow, agreed?” he whispered.

“Agreed,” she mumbled, snuggling up to him as she dozed off.

He smiled, heaving a sigh of relief. When she had woken up in the hospital, he had been sure she would never remember, but now he was confident that she only needed a little bit of time.

“We’ll get your memories back,” he whispered and kissed her temple. “As fast as we can.”


	39. Sweet Memories

The next morning, Minji couldn’t believe her eyes when she entered the kitchen. She found Baëkhyun preparing breakfast—an unexpected sight. The smell of fresh pancakes reached her nose and made her mouth water. She loved pancakes, and he must have known about that.

“Good morning,” he said, throwing her a look over his shoulder. He was standing in front of the stove, holding a pancake turner in his hand. “Did you sleep well, Minji?”

“Yes, I did,” she answered, smiling at him. “Have you been up long?”

“A while,” he said. “Sit down, the food’s almost done.”

She took a seat at the table, looking at the steaming coffee cups he had already placed on it. “Are you always doing this?” she asked curiously, staring at his back. She wouldn’t have thought him to be the attentive type of boyfriend, but it seemed like she had been wrong about that. It didn’t happen often that someone made breakfast for her—actually, _that never happened_ , so she was all the happier now.

“No, but I wanted to leave a good impression today,” he replied cheekily and smirked at her.

“Weirdo,” she said, chuckling. “You could have just said yes.”

He put the pancakes he made on two plates and carried them to the table where he set them down. “Why would I lie to you, sugar?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She felt heat shooting to her face and shyly dropped her gaze at her plate. “Don’t call me that.”

His chuckle reverberated through the kitchen. “You like it.”

“Do I?” she mumbled.

“It makes you happy. You can’t deny it,” he smirked confidently.

“How would you know?” she sulked, busying herself with eating breakfast. And damn, the pancakes were heavenly. Where had this guy learned how to cook?

“I just have a feeling,” he replied ambiguously, giving her no answers at all.

She sighed, cracking a smile. “That sounds very convincing, Baëkhyun.”

Instead of answering her, he grinned, showing his pearly white teeth. The blue of his eyes was dazzling when it was illuminated by the soft sun rays falling in through the window. It was a vivid color, almost too vivid to still be considered natural.

“So, about my memories,” she began, picking up her coffee cup and watching him over its rim. “I want to regain them quickly, but I don’t know how. Do you have any idea what I could do to trigger them?”

Baëkhyun leaned back in his seat and glanced at the ceiling while he thought. He scrunched his forehead. “That’s a good question. We should revisit a place where we’ve been before.”

Suddenly, her eyes widened and she sat up in her chair. “I know!” she gasped. “What about the place where we first met? That surely would trigger happy memories.”

He coughed awkwardly, his face looking like he had taken a bite from a sour lemon. It wasn’t the reaction she had expected. “That’s not a good idea,” he muttered.

Her excitement dimmed. “Why not? Did something happen?” she asked concernedly. “Where was it?”

“In your… flat,” he said reluctantly, not looking her in the eyes. His behavior weirded her out.

“Huh? Were you a burglar?” she joked, but he didn’t react to it and continued to look at the tabletop with a frown.

“No, I wasn’t. You invited me, sort of,” he muttered. “That’s how we met.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. I would never let a stranger into my home. Why did I do that?” she said suspiciously. Since she had finished her food, she now focused all of her attention on him which he didn’t like.

“Minji, don’t ask so many questions, okay? We will try something else to get your memories back,” he continued, hoping to divert her attention from this topic. “We visited an amusement park a while ago… and we could also return to the arcade where we had a date.”

Sighing, she decided to let the problem go for now. “Both sounds good to me, but I think I would prefer the amusement park.”

“Good. We could leave right away,” he said but interrupted himself when he remembered something. “That is if you’re feeling well enough for that. Wouldn’t want to aggravate your injuries.”

“I’m fine. A bit of fresh air won’t do no harm,” she smiled. She stretched her arms and got up to gather the dishes. He helped her and filled the dishwasher.

“Then it’s a plan. This time, we won’t ride any rollercoasters though.”

“Why not? They’re the most fun!” Minji pouted. She looked at him in confusion, noting his grumpy expression.

“I don’t like them,” he grumbled.

“That’s strange,” she hummed, putting her hand on her chin.

“Why?”

“Oh, I’m just surprised that you’re scared of rollercoasters. I thought you were braver than this?”

“Huh? I am brave!” he countered offendedly. “And I never said I was scared!”

She smiled sheepishly, not sure why he made such a fuss over her remark. Maybe he had a big ego. Everything she had learned of him so far certainly pointed that way.

“Baëkhyun is the bravest, got it,” she teased and put another plate in the dishwasher.

She missed his surprised expression. He was astonished at how easy it was to get along with her even though she hardly remembered him. They were in tune with each other despite her amnesia, and their bickering was just the same as usual—almost as if nothing had happened at all.

Before she could pick up another dirty plate, he stopped her. “Let me do the dishes alone. It’s better if you take it easy. Sit down, sugar,” he said and ushered her back to the table.

She glanced at him and sat in one of the chairs. “You said it again,” she mumbled.

“Huh?”

“You always call me sugar. Since you seem to like pet names, I’m wondering whether I gave you one as well,” she said and watched him in anticipation, curiosity swirling through her brown eyes. “I think I would do that…”

He cleared his throat, annoyance crossing his face. “No, you never did.”

“What? That can’t be true!” she insisted, increasing his annoyance. “I sure did!”

“No.”

“Yes!”

“What kind of argument is that? You’re a child,” he said exasperatedly and shook his head.

“If you don’t tell me, I will guess,” she decided stubbornly. Baëkhyun leaned his hips against the counter, crossing his arms. His blue eyes flitted from her pouty lips to her determined gaze. A small smirk settled on his face. In a way, she was cute when she sulked, but he would keep that observation to himself.

“Then guess all you want,” he snickered. “You will never find out.”

She thought for a moment, looking at him. What kind of pet name would make sense for someone like him? Maybe it had something to do with his appearance? She studied him for a moment, her gaze moving back to his dazzling eyes.

“Hmm… angel eyes?” was her first guess, but he didn’t like it at all. If anything, he seemed to be offended as if she had insulted him.

“No,” he grumbled instantly. “Never compare me to an angel. They are the worst.”

She didn’t understand what kind of problem he had with angels. Weren’t they viewed as kind and pretty? Not in his opinion, apparently. “Whoa, okay. I just thought it would sound nice because your eyes are really beautiful.”

“Yeah, I know _that_ ,” he answered smugly, smirking at her.

“Uh… okay. That’s a very arrogant attitude,” she couldn’t help but remark. Secretly, she kept wondering how someone like him had become her boyfriend since they were an unlikely couple. It was questions like this one that spurred her to regain her memories as soon as possible.

On top of that, whenever she asked him about something specific, he became strangely evasive and she had a good hunch that he was omitting certain details about her life. She wasn’t sure why, but she hoped he wasn’t trying to hide something bad from her. Minji couldn’t take another disappointing relationship.

“So?” he asked, arching his eyebrow. “You are definitely in love with me, and it’s not like my attitude really bothers you.”

Minji blushed, glancing down at her lap. He was so straightforward and full of himself, she couldn’t believe it. “W-Well, I’m not sure about that at the moment. I kind of forgot…” she stuttered nervously. Nonetheless, she couldn’t deny that she was attracted to him. More than just a little bit.

He sighed. “Right, you forgot,” he said disappointedly. “But you are not opposed to our relationship. You’re blushing all the time around me. Think I wouldn’t notice?” He switched from disappointed to cocky within a few seconds, prompting her to raise her head and look at him. A grin curled his lips.

“H-Hey, don’t change the topic! I still want to find out the pet name I gave you,” she said, flustered. “My next guess is… cutie pie?”

She blinked, thinking that his eyes had looked red for the fraction of a second. “Stop fooling around, Minji,” he complained. “That’s even worse than the actual thing.”

“Then maybe it’s Baëkkie?” she asked. That sounded simple enough. It was basically a cuter version of his name.

“No,” he hissed like a bristling cat. He acted like she had attacked his pride and dignity with this, and she found it somewhat amusing.

“Aww, then what about tiger?”

His jaw dropped. “What? What kind of name is _that_? We’re not in the zoo.”

“Baëk? Or just Hyun?” she asked, leaning forward in her chair. This had to be it… it had to be! Sadly, she was disappointed.

“No, that’s so boring you wouldn’t actually use it.”

“You’re right,” she mumbled, staring at the ceiling as she pondered over it. “Oh, I know! It must be Hyunnie.”

“No!” he said much too quickly, his surprised gaze giving him away.

“Yes, your expression said it all,” she chirped. “I got it! _Hyunnie it is!”_ As soon as those words left her mouth, she was overwhelmed by another memory.

_“I can’t believe this is the same person who blushed over cotton candy,” Minji mumbled. She was curled up in bed, laying in his arms._

_“Huh, what did you just say?!”_

_“Nothing,” she giggled and playfully tugged at his braid. “I think it’s time to get up now. We can’t stay in bed all day, Hyunnie.”_

_“Is that your favorite new nickname now?” he grumbled, not looking too happy about it._

_“Yes, or do you prefer_ _Baëkkie_ _?”_

_“No!”_

_“Hyunnie it is,” she smiled. He already opened his mouth to throw a fit, but seeing how happy she was, he closed it and swallowed his complaints._

When she returned to the present, she felt a bit dizzy, and she saw that he no longer stood at the counter, but next to her chair. Concern brimmed in his eyes, but it melted away when she glanced at him.

“You spaced out suddenly. Did you remember something?”

She mulled over what she had learned, and there was one thing that stood out to her. With her lips forming a smirk, she giggled. “Yes, I did! Apparently, cotton candy makes you blush?”

The change of emotions on his features was entertaining to watch. At first, he was appalled, then in denial, and at last, he looked annoyed. “It does not!” he growled. “I have no idea why you would believe something so atrocious!”

“I’m sure that it happened!” she persisted, and he got very upset about it.

“Listen, I am a powerful demo—” he began but cut himself off.

She laughed, hiding her lips behind her hand. “What was that? Were you about to tell me that you are _a powerful demon_?” she said sarcastically, lowering her tone to imitate his voice. “That’s ridiculous, Hyunnie. It’s even more ridiculous than the cotton candy thing. Men are so strange.”

He opened his mouth to counter, but then closed it and changed his mind. “Yeah, I was just joking around,” he said with a sigh. “Why don’t we leave soon? The amusement park won’t stay open forever.”

She agreed with that and left the kitchen to get ready, putting on warm clothes since it was a cold November day. The sky was cloudy, and perhaps it would rain later on.

While she was busy, Baëkhyun tried to find out where Mochi had scurried off to. It was important that Minji didn’t see the small demon since she likely wouldn’t take it well. A glowing translucent cat wasn’t exactly normal. When he didn’t find it in the entire flat, he assumed that it was somewhere outside.

The only thing that slightly worried him now was that Minji might see certain supernatural beings when they left the house. So far, nothing of the sort had happened, and he would make sure it stayed that way. He would need to steer her away from them—and scare the smaller demons off with his magic. It was risky, but sooner or later they would have to leave the house, there was no way around it.

He didn’t want to break the fragile trust he had managed to build between them. Her finding out about demons and the like wouldn’t bode well for either of them.

* * *

The amusement park wasn’t as crowded as last time which was probably due to the cool weather. It was only the start of November, but the Halloween decoration had already been replaced by Christmas decoration. Since Minji liked this season, she was excited to see it.

Baëkhyun on the other hand was unimpressed and didn’t grace the plastic snowmen with his attention. Minji noticed that he was distracted and looked around a lot as if he was searching for something. He had been doing it ever since they had left her flat, but she didn’t know why. Maybe he always acted like this? _It wasn’t like she remembered…_

Her attention was soon captured by her colorful surroundings. She forgot about Baëkhyun’s strange behavior and instead focused on the large rollercoasters towering over the smaller attractions. People’s excited screams mixed with the cheerful music in the park. She was giddy like a child, didn’t know where to go first, and her joy didn’t stay unnoticed for long.

“You’re happy today,” Baëkhyun commented amusedly. “Why don’t you pick a ride now?”

“I would, but it’s so hard to choose.” They stopped on a large square surrounded by several buildings that housed either souvenir shops or attractions. Each looked interesting to her, and that didn’t make her decision easier. Her eyes moved over the haunted house and got stuck on something behind it.

“Oh, do you see the boat swing over there?” she said and pointed at a large ship nearby. “That is fun!”

When he failed to answer, she questioningly glanced at him only to see him scowling at it. His glare was so hot it wouldn’t have surprised her if it had melted the entire boat swing.

“Hyunnie?” she asked, tugging at his sleeve.

“Not that,” he hissed.

“Is this about your fear of rollercoasters?” she prodded carefully, knitting her brows. She wouldn’t make fun of him since she understood that not everybody liked them, but still… a boat swing wasn’t that much of a deal. Maybe you would get a bit dizzy, but that was it.

“I never said I was scared of these _things_ ,” he said, hissing the last word like a curse.

“But if they make you uncomfortable, you don’t have to—”

“No, I am perfectly fine, and I will join you,” he insisted stubbornly, though his gaze darkened considerably the closer they got to the boat swing. “As if I was scared,” he snorted.

“Um… okay,” she mumbled, eyeing him warily. His ego seemed to be the main reason why he had agreed to it, but she hoped he would have fun regardless. They stood in line for the ride and waited a few minutes for their turn.

He ended up scaring a few other visitors away with his death glare, so they had an entire row of seats to themselves. As soon as he sat down, Baëkhyun held on to the metal rail in front of him tightly while Minji happily smiled to herself, anticipating the ride.

“This is going to be amazing!” she gushed.

“If you say so,” he grumbled, sitting stiffly in his seat.

The boat began to move back and forth slowly, but the higher it rose, the faster it became. Minji giggled, raising her arms in the air and enjoying the wind in her hair. She squealed when the boat reached its highest point before it descended so fast her stomach dropped.

Baëkhyun on the other hand was quiet. So quiet that at first she completely forgot about him. It was only after a while that she gazed at him and found that he was pale. His face looked green and he pressed his lips together furiously. They formed a firm line. His eyes were focused on the boat, glaring angrily at it like it was his nemesis.

The swing slowed after a while and then stopped. They got up and left the ride, Baëkhyun staggering a bit since his legs were wobbly and he was dizzy. Minji followed him, still excited about the ride.

“Baëkhyun, are you okay?” she asked concernedly once they left it behind and returned to the street leading through the park. She put her hand on his arm, inclining her head at him.

“Never been better,” he replied through clenched teeth, his body stiff as a board.

“Are you sure? We could sit down for a while,” she suggested.

He shook his head and proceeded to walk on like nothing was wrong. “As long as you enjoyed it, it was worth it,” he muttered under his breath.

It probably hadn’t been meant for her ears, but she picked his words up regardless, blushing. “You’re very sweet,” she whispered. “Even though you don’t look like it.”

The more time she spent with him, the easier it became to understand _why_ she was his girlfriend. He was grumpy and rude, had a huge ego and his arrogance was undisputed, but he was also very adamant about helping and supporting her. Even though she had forgotten about him, and he had no obligation to stay with her, he went above and beyond for her. She was flattered by this. Her heart swelled in her chest as tiny butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked.

“Oh, um, I just…” she sputtered, getting flustered by his piercing gaze that gave her the sense he knew more about her than she was aware of. “I like you.”

He grinned cockily. “That’s nothing new, sugar.” He playfully ruffled her black hair, messing it up.

She sent him a slightly annoyed glance, trying to fix her messy hair before they continued on their way. It didn’t take long for Minji to lay eyes on something else that she loved. “Cotton candy!” she gushed after she spotted a nearby candy store.

She shyly took his hand, looking up at his face. “I want to get cotton candy,” she told him and pulled him after her towards the shop. He gave an amused snort and followed her quickly. The store offered three different flavors, and she had trouble picking one for herself.

“Which flavor is your favorite?” she asked him, tilting her head curiously.

“Strawberry,” he said, instantly triggering a memory.

_“What are you doing here?” he asked, his eyes moving over the strawberries on the kitchen counter and the cake dough she was working on. Minji flinched in surprise, not having heard him arrive. She put her spoon in the sink and wiped her hands._

_“What does it look like? I’m making your favorite; strawberry shortcake!” she smiled. “Last time, we kind of ruined it, but this time, it’s going to work out. I promise.”_

_His eyes lit up just hearing that, and he moved over to the strawberries to steal a few. “Hey, don’t snack on them!” she said, but he easily evaded her and ate the fruit before she caught him._

“You… you like strawberry shortcake?” she mumbled in awe. That was a surprise. His liking something sweet wasn’t something she would have expected. Baëkhyun continued to astonish her, defying all expectations she’d had of him since she had first seen him in the hospital.

“You remembered.” He grinned, looking both relieved and proud. “I see we are making progress today!”

Minji flushed and returned his smile. “It’s all thanks to you,” she said softly. “You’ve been helping me so much. Maybe I could return the favor and bake for you?”

His very familiar and very smug smirk was back, lighting up his blue eyes. “Yes, you should!” he proclaimed. “You even promised me before you lost your memories.”

“I did? I’m sorry, Baëkhyun… I would have done it, had I remembered,” she said apologetically.

“Don’t worry, sugar. It’s not your fault,” he muttered. She swore she heard an ounce of remorse in his tone, but she couldn’t be sure. Confused and disheartened, she lowered her head. He didn’t like the sadness she felt and promptly led her closer to the candy store.

“Which flavor do you want?” he asked in order to distract her.

“Same as you,” she answered, and he ordered two for them. She excitedly took hers and put a whole cloud of it in her mouth, feeling pure bliss as the sweet taste covered her tongue.

“I love this,” she whispered, lingering near the candy store. Baëkhyun was too busy stuffing his mouth to answer her, and the sight prompted her to laugh. He had a piece of cotton candy stuck on his cheek. She reached out and flicked it away.

“You are a cotton candy addict, huh?” she smiled, her eyes twinkling in amusement.

“This stuff is great, so can you blame me? You humans have interesting food, I have to give you that.”

“You sound like you’re an alien,” she giggled.

He awkwardly cleared his throat, immediately denying it. “No, no. I’m not. Forget what I said, okay? Let’s move on, we haven’t seen the other rides yet.”

“Do you think we could check out the Ferris wheel?” she asked since it wasn’t far away. The blue lights of the ride looked vibrant with the gray November sky as a backdrop. The Ferris wheel would allow them to see the entire park from above, and she never skipped this ride when she visited.

“Sure,” he replied while he finished his cotton candy and took her hand while they approached the entrance to the small gondolas. They were able to get in without having to wait, sitting in a gondola together.

Minji was glued to the window as the gondola rose towards the sky. She watched the people down below walk through the streets of the park, spotting countless children with their parents as well as other couples. The other buildings, especially the roller coasters, looked amazing from this view. She longingly stared at her favorite coaster, making a mental note to go there later. Then again, _he_ probably wouldn’t enjoy that very much…

She turned her head from the window to him, surprised to find him studying her. His crystal eyes were focused on her alone. He didn’t care about the gorgeous view from up here at all. She was flustered by his attention, moving a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Nothing, just thinking,” he said and took her hand, inching closer. “Last time we were on the Ferris wheel, we didn’t just sit around.” He winked, his tone growing slightly suggestive.

“What happened?” she asked cluelessly, prompting him to crack a smile.

“Ah, sugar, you seriously have no idea?” he smirked. “I could show you if you want.” The gondola reached the highest point and the wheel briefly stopped.

“Um… okay?”

He leaned in, and she understood what he was up to when she saw the glimmer of longing in his eyes. For a brief second, they seemed to flash red—she must have imagined that. His warm hands cupped her cheeks and tilted her head up. Slowly, he connected their lips and kissed her. Just like last night, his kiss made her heart soar. She was overwhelmed with a strong feeling of happiness and delight and let herself be swallowed by it. Smiling into the kiss, she embraced him and rested her hands on his back. Her actions brought them closer, and he deepened the kiss. 

When they parted, she took a deep breath, looking a bit dazed. _He was so good at this_. She felt drunk on her happiness, her heart beating faster than normal.

“Now you know what we did,” he remarked cockily, smirking at her. “I figured that demonstrating it would be more interesting than just telling you.”

“I can’t argue with that,” she said, touching her lips in awe.

The gondola returned to the ground soon after and they got out, continuing to explore the park. There was still a lot to see and lots of things to do. They spent the remainder of the day in the park, Minji trying to get him into a rollercoaster, but he refused to set foot in one of those “abominations” as he liked to call them. He made a huge fuss over it, and she ended up laughing tears at his sulky expression.

After a while of walking around and trying different rides, Minji felt tired and the injuries on her back began to throb. She wanted to rest, but at the same time, she also wanted to see the other attractions of the park. Torn and unsure about what to do, she didn’t mention it to him. However, she did notice the glances he threw her now and then. Minji got the feeling that he knew what was up.

“Minji, why don’t we take a break?” he suggested eventually.

Conflictedly, she looked at the very inviting rollercoaster behind him, wondering if she could ride it just one time. The injuries on her back said otherwise… but still.

“No, I want to see the rest of the park too,” she replied. “If we take a break, we will lose time!”

He frowned, crossing his arms and stopping in his tracks. She stopped as well and wondered what he was up to now. “Let’s take a break,” he said persistently. “It would be better to rest for a while.”

“But… but why?” she whined.

He was silent for a tad too long before he answered her. “Because I’m tired and I want to sit down,” he grumbled. “Also, my feet hurt and I’m hungry and thirsty and—”

“Okay, okay. I get it,” she sighed. “You’re such a grandpa.”

She never noticed his triumphant smirk as he led her to the next coffee shop. He’d make sure that she was safe, especially when she was too stubborn to take care of herself.

* * *

That evening, she was so tired she went straight to her bedroom after they returned home. It had been an exciting day and she had even regained a few memories. Most of the scenes she had seen were related to Baëkhyun. He appeared in nearly every single one of them. It made her wonder if her life had revolved around him only. What else had happened in the moths she had forgotten? Her curiosity grew with every memory that returned.

Each moment she rediscovered was one she cherished, and one was more endearing than the next. They were like pieces of a puzzle she needed to collect in order to see the bigger picture. She had yet to make sense of all of them, but she was confident that eventually, just that would occur.

Minji sat cross-legged on her bed and looked through the pictures she had taken today with her phone. She’d already put on comfortable clothes and didn’t plan on staying up much longer. It had been an exhausting day, maybe a bit too long for her since she wasn’t fully healed yet. Resting sounded like a good idea.

She yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. At the same moment, Baëkhyun came into her bedroom. He wore a comfortable black shirt and sweatpants, his hands tugged into its pockets.

“What are you up to?” he asked, sitting next to her. His arm circled her waist and his hand came to rest on her stomach. He peered over her shoulder at the screen.

“Just looking at all the photos from today,” she explained with a smile. “I enjoyed our outing a lot.”

“Good, but I’d prefer if you called it a date, sugar,” he said flirtily. “Cause it _was_ a date.”

Flustered, she glanced up from her phone and met his mischievous blue eyes. “Fine, a date it is,” she replied, not seeing anything wrong with that. His unwavering gaze rested on her for a while and neither of them spoke. She noted that he still wore his beloved silver chain. His white hair hung messily into his eyes, framing them. It looked soft. She got the urge to touch it, her eyes glued to its silky strands.

“Minji,” he said huskily, moving her attention back to his face. “Can I kiss you?”

Surprised at this, her eyes widened a fraction. “Why would you ask?” she said breathlessly, a pink hue spreading over her cheeks.

“I was trying to be fucking polite,” he said and shrugged. He playfully twirled a strand of her long black hair around his finger.

She giggled. “But swearing isn’t polite, Hyunnie,” she said.

“Where I come from, swearing is acceptable,” he countered smugly.

“Uhuh,” she smiled, not having a clue what he was talking about.

“So…?” he asked, impatiently leaning in. “Can I?”

He shifted and put his weight on his arm. His blue eyes were close enough for her to see tiny dark red splatters in his iris. It was an odd mix of colors, but strangely fascinating and entrancing. She got lost in the moment, even forgot to give him an answer. He dipped his head, his breath fanning over her lips. The sensation made her shiver in delight.

Her hands let go of her phone, instead moving around his neck. He bridged the small distance that separated them and kissed her. She sighed contently, letting him lead the kiss. The sensation of his lips on hers was amazing, had her heart explode with happiness. She drank him in, met his gorgeous eyes that looked darker now, filled with desire that was meant entirely for her. She blushed, and he deepened the kiss, invading her mouth with his tongue. He tasted of cinnamon, ash, fire—and she loved it, couldn’t get enough of it.

One of her hands wandered to his hair, fingers touching his silky strands. Her other hand followed his sharp jawline, found the end of the silver chain, and lightly pulled on it. The husky growl she received had her shudder. His hands gently mapped her body, mindful of the injuries on her back. They traveled up to her cheeks, cupping them. He moved his thumbs over her skin in a tender caress that reminded her of a soft feather.

When they ended the kiss, he lingered close to her, his hand trailing over her cheek. The longing in her eyes, the amount of affection brimming within their depths was a miracle to him. She barely remembered him, yet it was apparent that her feelings for him had not disappeared. He couldn’t help but wonder whether that would change once she regained her memories. Especially those revolving around the confrontation with the blood mage.

“When you have your memories back, we need to talk about something that happened recently,” he muttered. He kept his expression neutral, nonetheless, it was apparent to her that he felt bad about this matter, whatever it was.

“I’m sorry. If I remembered, this wouldn’t be so difficult,” she sighed dejectedly. “It’s my fault.”

“No,” he said. “No, it’s mine. I should have been faster, but I wasn’t.” She felt the sudden tenseness of his muscles. An emotion she couldn’t place manifested in her heart and made it heavy like a stone. This sinking feeling was all too similar to guilt, but it was different from the guilt she usually experienced. Confused, she put her hand over her heart, her gaze moving to his face.

“Why would my accident be your fault?” she asked, scrunching her brows. “That doesn’t make sense. I just slipped and fell down a stair.”

He inhaled and exhaled, frowning. “You will agree with me when you regain your memories. I’m sure.”

“I doubt that,” she replied honestly. “It sounds like you’re beating yourself up over something that wasn’t in your hands.”

“We will see,” he said gloomily. She didn’t like his attitude, and as she quelled her curiosity about the issue, she tried to come up with something that would cheer him up.

“Baëkhyun…? I’m sure that things will turn out fine,” she said in an attempt to reassure him. He sighed and nodded slowly. His gaze came to rest on her hand that was playing with one of his braids. She twirled his hair and let go of it.

“Whatever happened, I know that you don’t mean any harm,” she said softly. “I can’t thank you enough for all you’re doing for me right now. You are a big help; I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Her words cheered him up. A spark returned to his dull eyes, brightening the vibrant sky-blue of his iris. He placed an affectionate kiss on her forehead and held her tighter. “Minji, I have to tell you something important soon,” he whispered. “But first, you need to remember everything.”

“Something important?” she echoed curiously.

He gave a faint smile, bopping her nose with the tip of his finger. “Yes,” he whispered. “You should sleep now, sugar.”

“How can I sleep when you say that?” she complained and pouted. “Now I’m curious.”

“Your eyes are closing as you speak,” he remarked amusedly. “Sleep, sugar.”

She continued to pout, but the exhaustion eventually won. Sighing in defeat, she lay down next to him, letting him pull the cover over her body. She closed her eyes and snuggled up to him. His soft chuckle reached her ears as he draped his arm around her shoulders to pull her in. In her exhaustion, she didn’t even register that the light had magically turned off on its own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there Eris! ❤️
> 
> Baëkhyun sure is dedicated, even riding a boat swing just for Minji. Poor demon. LMAO What do you think he meant when he said he wants to tell her something? 😏🤡🤡
> 
> Have a beautiful day!  
> Jessie


	40. Nothing but the Truth

The kitchen looked like a war zone. In their endeavor to make a strawberry shortcake together, Baëkhyun and Minji had created a mess with the ingredients. She wasn’t happy with him and his antics since they had caused the major part of this disaster.

“I told you not to open the flour yet!” she nagged at him. “It was so obvious you would knock it over!”

“It was an accident,” he growled. “Also, _you_ knocked over the milk!”

“But that was because I flinched when you suddenly broke the cup! What are you, _Hulk_?! How is that possible with your bare hands?”

In her exasperation, and faced with his grumpy scowl, Minji began to laugh. She couldn’t believe what a stubborn idiot he was and the entire situation was more than hilarious in her eyes. They had just planned to make a simple cake, and now half of the ingredients were all over the floor along with shards of the shattered cup.

“Minji!” he complained. “Not my fault cups are so fragile.”

“We need to clean up before we can finish this,” she sighed and bent down to pick the shards up, but he was faster and swatted her hand away.

“No, you won’t touch this,” he said. “Sit on the chair and let me do it.”

Astonished, she straightened up, meeting his unrelenting eyes that told her he wouldn’t tolerate a no for an answer. To underline his point, he nodded his chin towards the chairs and table.

“Okay, you win,” she mumbled and carefully navigated past the shards on the ground to a chair where she sat down and watched him. The left sleeve of his black hoodie was covered in flour, the sight reminding her of snow. He was unphased by his messy appearance, flicking his braids over his shoulder as he bent down to collect the shards with his hands.

“Don’t cut yourself,” she reminded him, earning an amused gaze.

“You think this would be enough to hurt me?” he asked, raising his eyebrows as if she had suggested something ridiculous.

“Anyone can cut themselves.”

“I’m not anyone,” he replied arrogantly. “I’m superior to regular humans.”

“Oh, I forgot,” she retorted, a cheeky undertone in her voice. “You are actually a century-old _vampire_ , isn’t that right?”

“Can you get any more random?” he chuckled. “I’m no fucking leech.”

“Then what are you?” she asked jokingly.

“Many things.”

“Oh, how mysterious of you, Hyunnie.”

He smirked as he threw the shards in the trash. “Do you like mysterious men?” he asked.

“Only if their name is Hyunnie.”

He groaned, the sly smirk falling off his face. “Minji, can you _not_ call me that? It destroys my demonic pride.”

“Y-Your what?” she gasped. “What does that mean?”

Realizing his mistake too late, he cursed inwardly. “Nothing… just forget about it.”

“Do you believe in demons?” she prodded carefully, recalling that he had made a comment similar to this one before.

“No,” he muttered. “Why would I?”

“You seem to like them…”

“I don’t think I do,” he replied as he dumped the shards in the trash. Looking around in the chaos, he wasn’t sure where to continue since their cake still was far from done. The dough had been sitting in a bowl untouched for a while, waiting to be baked.

She noticed his clueless expression and got up, deciding to help him out. If they didn’t hurry up, they wouldn’t be done with the cake any time soon. Minji grabbed the bowl with the dough and pushed it into his hands, telling him to put it into the cake pan and in the oven. In the meantime, she went to cut the strawberries she wanted to use as decoration later.

As she worked, she was once again reminded of the bandage on her left wrist. It had been bothering her for the past days since always got in the way and annoyed her greatly. She didn’t get why Baëkhyun wanted her to wear it since she didn’t feel any pain in her wrist anymore. Shouldn’t it be fine to take it off?

He caught her playing around with the bandage, his eyes narrowing. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Didn’t I tell you to leave it alone?”

Like a kid caught with a hand in the cookie jar, she quickly let go of the bandage. “But Baëkhyun,” she whined. “Why can’t I remove it?”

“It’s too soon,” he muttered seriously, his brows knitting. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Understand what?” she asked, raising her voice. Why couldn’t he just tell her? How bad could it be?

He took both of her hands, standing in front of her and watching her seriously. “Please, trust me on this. You will understand my reasoning when you remember everything.”

She heaved a sigh, frustrated and annoyed. Why was he so reluctant to answer such a simple question? It was mind-boggling!

“Let’s finish the cake, okay?” he said, and she nodded, making a mental note to bring the issue up again later.

While they waited until they could remove the cake from the oven, they began to clean up the kitchen, getting rid of the mess they had created. Minji prepared strawberry cream and put all the fruits in a small bowl. By the time the cake came out of the oven, the kitchen was spotless, a delicious smell hanging in the air. It was mouth-watering.

Minji added the pink cream once the cake had cooled down, Baëkhyun curiously looking over her shoulder. At last, she decorated their creation with a few strawberries—and then it was done.

“Perfect,” she whispered. “Now we only need to try it.”

“If it tastes the way it looks, it will be amazing,” Baëkhyun said.

“I will make coffee, and then we can try it,” she smiled. “Please put it in the fridge until then.”

With how longingly he stared at the cake, it was a wonder he didn’t just eat it right then and there. But he held himself back and put it in the fridge as she had told him to.

When she turned around to get two coffee cups, her eyes got stuck on something very peculiar. A small cat scurried through the doorway into the kitchen and it was _glowing_. She gasped and walked backward, away from the creature.

“What is that?” she asked, staring accusingly at Baëkhyun who looked uncomfortable and didn’t answer her. “There is a _glowing_ , _translucent_ cat in my flat and I want to know why!” she demanded hysterically, backing away from the animal. “What the fuck is wrong with my head?”

“Calm down, okay?” he said. “I could tell you, but it would probably freak you out.”

“That’s reassuring to hear,” she answered sarcastically.

“All you need to know is that you don’t need to worry about it. The cat is a stray you took in. You named it Mochi.”

“Mochi,” she echoed, and the cat promptly perked up its ears, running to her and rubbing its body against her legs. She assumed it wanted to be picked up, looking at her with pleading golden eyes. However, Minji was reluctant to touch it. Whatever this cat was, it couldn’t be a regular animal, and she didn’t understand why she would ever let it enter her flat.

She was about to go full panic mode, and Baëkhyun’s peculiar evasiveness didn’t help at all. More than ever, she got the suspicion that he was keeping very crucial information from her, and she found herself wondering whether it had been a mistake to trust him so quickly.

She should know better.

Perhaps what was hidden on her wrist was even more peculiar than that cat, and perhaps he didn’t want her to see it because it was something bad…? She needed to get to the bottom of this. There was no way around it. She wouldn’t wait any longer, her patience had run out.

“I think I need some time alone,” she said to Baëkhyun.

He didn’t look too happy with the situation, but he nodded, frowning. Minji didn’t waste a second and hurried to her bedroom. He looked after her with a conflicted expression, wishing he could give her the answers she sought. If she at least remembered the existence of demons, all this wouldn’t be so complicated.

Minji closed the door behind her and grabbed a pair of scissors from her desk. No more excuses, the bandage had to go. Her hand was trembling in nervousness. Anxiously, she cut the bandage open, shaking it off.

Instantly, her wide eyes were drawn to a shining star on her skin. The sight was oddly familiar—and it plunged her right into a memory.

_“Please, just go and leave me alone. I don’t want this,” she forced out, her voice shaking in terror. He stared at her wrist with narrowed blood-red eyes. As his anger grew, his eyes glowed brighter._

_“What have you done?” he snarled, holding her wrist in an iron grip and pulling it towards him. “How is this possible? I’m not some low-class demon, this should never happen…”_

_He glared at the mark on her skin in disbelief, and she followed his gaze, terrified by what she saw. Now that he had touched her, the mark had changed. It wasn’t just a tattoo anymore. It appeared like a shining star, radiating blinding white light that reflected in her wide brown eyes._

What was _that_? Shocked, Minji stumbled back and hit the wall. The scissors clattered to the ground. This wasn’t the same person who had been with her for the past few days, or was it? This Baëkhyun had looked livid and ready to kill her—his eyes had been _red_. And this time, she hadn’t imagined it.

Her thoughts were going on a rampage in her mind. She was frozen by fear. Why had he yelled at her like that? How was he connected to this weird light on her wrist? She bit her lower lip so hard she tasted blood, clawing at the light. It didn’t vanish no matter what she did, and it made her panic. Her breathing accelerated, became uneven.

“Hey, what are you do—” Baëkhyun started when he abruptly entered the bedroom. He noticed the missing bandage immediately, cursing under his breath.

“No, stop! Don’t come any closer!” she yelled hysterically, shocking him. He didn’t move and just stared at her, not knowing how to deal with this.

“Just _what_ are you? Where does this thing on my wrist come from?” She covered it up with her hand because the sight freaked her out. At this point, she deeply regretted letting him into her flat without knowing anything about him. What the hell had she been thinking? How could she have been so stupid?

“Calm down, Minji,” he said and held his hands in front of him, the palms facing her. It was a gesture meant to calm her, but she was too anxious to care about it.

“I can’t! Who are you really?” she demanded to know. “You lied to me, didn’t you?”

“No, I just omitted a few things,” he sighed. “Let’s talk about this, okay? You must have remembered something… and I’m guessing it wasn’t one of the good memories.”

“It wasn’t!” she yelled, moving away when he took a step closer. “Stay where you are!”

“Fine,” he sighed defeatedly. “Whatever you saw, I’m sorry about it, but you don’t need to be scared. I would never hurt you.”

Her chest rose and fell with each rapid breath she took. All she could think of was how she could get him out of her flat, and how she could get rid of this freaky light on her wrist. Fingernails raking over her skin, she scratched at the damn thing. The scratches burned, but she didn’t care. She wanted the weird light to be gone.

“Minji, stop that!”

She ignored him, and Baëkhyun was at a loss for what to do. He’d never had to deal with a situation like this before, and he sucked at comforting people. But he couldn’t let her hurt herself either, so he decided to interfere, whether she liked it or not. He strode through the room and took both of her wrists, holding them in between their bodies. She started struggling immediately, kicking and screaming at him to let go.

“Calm down,” he told her. “I won’t let go until you calm the fuck down!”

She glared at him defiantly, while he grew more and more exasperated. How to deal with a human who didn’t believe a word he said? How to convince her otherwise?

“I am not here to hurt you,” he repeated. “If I wanted to, why would I take care of you? Why would I help you regain your memory? I wouldn’t bother to do any of this if I for some reason intended to harm you.”

He had a point, and even in her frantic state, she knew that what he said made sense. She drew in a breath, but her anxiety wasn’t easy to overcome.

“This is fucked up,” she stuttered. “W-What are you?”

He exhaled and bit his lip. Conflict shone in his ruby eyes. It was clear he didn’t want to tell her, but he was driven into a corner now. He knew that he had to answer her. The damage was done and keeping more secrets would only aggravate it. She would either understand and accept the truth, or she would hate him. He hoped it wasn’t the latter, but given how she looked at him now, he was doubtful.

“I’m not human,” he began, slowly easing into the topic. His hold on her wrists was firm yet gentle. She quivered, causing him to sigh. “The truth is that I’m a demon.”

Aghast, her eyes widened considerably. He hated how scared she looked. The warmth in her gaze was long gone, instead he was faced with mistrust and doubts. He sensed the whirlwind of emotions in her—it was devastating.

“Why… why would I want to… to be with such a creature?” she hissed, appalled at herself and him. Her shock had her forget all the happy memories she had seen before. This was very hard to swallow for her. It wasn’t just the fact that demons were real, it was the fact that she had been so close to him without having an idea about his true identity. It creeped her out. What other dark secrets was he hiding?

She ripped her hands away from his and he let her, lowering his head. “Why does it matter so much what I am?” he muttered. “You were fine with our relationship the entire time until you found out about this.”

“Demons aren’t known to be particularly kind.”

“So you’re saying I treated you badly these past days?” he shot back, raising his head. Exasperation and a hint of desperation shone in his red eyes. “I’ve tried all I could to help you. This isn’t fucking fair! I don’t know what you saw in that memory, but it’s not the current me.”

She couldn’t deny that he was right—he hadn’t done anything wrong and if she thought about it, he defied all logic with his behavior. Demons were supposed to be ruthless monsters, but he… he put her wellbeing first and made sure she would recover all of her memories even though he didn’t gain anything from that. Minji raked her hands through her hair, upset and confused. This was all so much to wrap her head around.

She closed her eyes briefly and calmed herself, reminding herself that she wasn’t in any immediate danger. It was better to ask questions now. She could panic later if that even was necessary.

She locked her eyes with his. “Why does my wrist glow?” she asked.

“That’s because light magic is my element. The crest on your wrist serves as a connection between us. And before you ask, no, it’s not dangerous.”

“I see,” she mumbled, turning her arm with her wrist up. She traced the star with her fingers, intrigued. “You can use magic?”

“Yeah,” he replied. Inwardly, he hoped that the worst of her shock had faded. At least, she didn’t have this paralyzing fear in her expression anymore. That had been rather hurtful to see. 

She gawked at him. “You can _what_?” she sputtered. “What the hell? Show me.”

“Fine, but don’t freak out,” he said. Without him moving a muscle, a golden orb appeared and hovered between them. It illuminated the room with its gentle glow. Minji leaned in to inspect it more closely, and she noted that it was made up of tiny particles of pure light. It radiated warmth, and its presence felt soothing.

“Can I touch it?” she asked fascinatedly.

“Yes.”

She stretched out her hand, slowly nearing the gleaming magic. Her fingertips came in contact with the light. It engulfed her hand, a tingling spreading over it. The sensation was incredibly familiar to her. She had felt it many, many times before. It called out to her, and it _woke her up._

Something in her burst. The barricade that had blocked her memories was torn down without warning. Stinging pain shot through her brain. She gasped. A myriad of scenes flashed before her eyes. She remembered it all, and it was overwhelming and liberating at the same time. Finally, everything made sense. Finally, all her questions were answered. She understood why Baëkhyun had acted the way he did, she remembered their bond and all the memories they shared. The good ones and the bad ones.

She raised her head and saw Baëkhyun standing directly in front of her. His expression was concerned and somewhat dejected. Instantly, she recalled how she had treated him just now and what awful things she had said. Her heart sank. He didn’t deserve any of that after what he had gone through in the past days.

“I’m sorry, Baëkhyun. I didn’t mean what I said,” she burst out and hugged him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She couldn’t believe she had been so mean to him, and she wanted to hit herself for it. “You’ve been very patient with me. Thank you for that. I know that it must have been difficult.”

He was paralyzed when he caught on to what was happening. “Y-You remembered?”

“Yes, everything,” she answered, burying her face in his chest. He heaved a relieved sigh, his body relaxing. He wrapped his arms around her smaller form and held her tightly, hiding his face at her neck. His warm breath ghosted over her skin.

“Finally. I was about to lose my mind,” he mumbled into her hair. “Are you okay now?”

“I think so,” she said quietly, enjoying his proximity and warmth.

“I missed you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. It quivered a bit. His hug grew tighter, more protective.

“We should talk… about what happened,” she said. As long as they didn’t address the elephant in the room, neither of them would be fully at ease, and he knew this as well.

“Yes,” he mumbled, but he didn’t budge from his spot and neither did she. They stayed in this position for a while, just embracing each other and enjoying the moment. To them, it was like a reunion even though they hadn’t been separated. She was glad she finally understood everything. The constant questions in her head had troubled her.

He took her hand and guided her to the bed where they sat down next to each other. Minji frowned, recalling the terrible things that had occurred during Halloween. There was one thing that bothered her the most, and she wanted to speak about this first. Tensely, she straightened her back and rested her hands on her knees.

“What exactly happened… with you and… um… that woman?” she asked. “Y-You didn’t even notice when the blood mage took me, it was so scary.”

He swallowed, cringing as he thought back to that moment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to see her in that house and I was caught off guard by her appearance. I should have been more careful, but I let my guard down,” he explained, lowering his head. She sensed his guilt and remorse, and she knew that he was being truthful with her. “I noticed that you were gone, but at that point, it was already too late. I couldn’t sense you at all since the bond wasn’t working as it should, and it freaked me out. I realized too late that the impostor’s only means for existing was to stop me from looking for you. She said some things that were hard to bear.”

“What did she say?”

“That I’m responsible for Minā’s death and that I didn’t care about her,” he breathed. It was rare to see him distraught, and the sight made Minji’s heart sink. “She threw me off with that.”

“I hope you know that it’s not true, Baëkhyun,” she said calmly. “What happened isn’t your fault. Don’t hold on to these negative feelings. It’s been years since Minā died. She wouldn’t want you to suffer still, and I don’t want that either.”

He was silent and gazed at her for a while without speaking. His eyes flitted from the bruise on her cheek to that on her chin. He frowned deeply. “You’re too damn kind. I don’t deserve any of that. Because of my stupidity, you got hurt badly,” he growled. The sadness and frustration he felt were like poison. They burned and stung, and she was saddened by these emotions.

“But you did save me, and you brought me to the hospital too,” she said, dead set on changing his mind. “And not only that, you took care of me this whole time. It’s only thanks to you I was able to recover my memories so quickly. You’ve been very patient with me, and I’m grateful for that.”

“It was the least I could do,” he said quietly. “You are important to me, Minji.”

She smiled, and as quickly as her injuries allowed her, she pulled him into an embrace. Her head came to rest below his chin as she held on to the back of his shirt. He was paralyzed by her affectionate gesture, frozen in surprise, but he soon returned the embrace, careful not to touch the injuries on her back. He drew in a breath and exhaled, the tension leaving his body.

“I love you, Baëkhyun,” she mumbled.

As soon as those words left her mouth, she sensed his guilt receding. The sinking feeling in his chest vanished, chased away by something warmer. A seed of happiness budded within him, and she could almost _see_ it blossoming into a pretty flower as it grew.

“So you aren’t mad at me?” he asked carefully.

“No, I’m not,” she replied. “I was just… confused and hurt by your initial reaction to the impostor. But I know that… you wouldn’t leave me.”

Baëkhyun heard the insecurity in her voice, and he didn’t like it at all. It reminded him of something important he had yet to do, and he figured that now would be the perfect time to get on with it.

“I have to tell you something,” he said seriously. The gravity in his tone made her sit up straight. She left his embrace and looked at him, not knowing what to expect.

“What is it?” she asked, a shard of nervousness digging into her heart. He held her hands and circled his thumbs over their back, calming her down. His gorgeous eyes were dyed in a mix of blue and red as he studied her.

“You don’t need to worry about me leaving you, and I hope you will remember this,” he said, locking his gaze with hers. “I love you, Minji. You are the most important person in my life and nobody would ever change that.”

To say she was surprised would be an understatement. Her eyes grew wide as soft pink dusted her cheeks. The smile on her lips blossomed into a bright beam. She was overflowing with happiness and excitement. Leaning in, she planted a chaste kiss on his lips.

“I love you too,” she breathed. “So, so much.”

She fell in his arms, locking hers behind his back and nuzzling her faze into his warm chest. He chuckled and embraced her, caressing her head with his slender hand.

“You’ve really made me wait,” she mumbled, lifting her head to meet his eyes. “What took so long, Hyunnie?”

He didn’t like to be confronted this way and promptly avoided her eyes. His ears turned red and the sight made her giggle. “Aww, are you shy about it? That’s so cute.”

His expression turned sulky. “I am _not_ cute. Stop saying that!”

“Your ears are red,” she smiled. “My adorable demon is blushing.”

He grumbled something under his breath and still refused to look at her, biting his lip. She could have sworn even his cheeks were pink.

“I’m joking,” Minji said. “I’m relieved you told me about your feelings. When have you started to fall in love with me?”

The question had him tense, and he looked embarrassed, hesitant to answer. It was her hopeful gaze that made him crack and got him to open his mouth. “It was around that time you… you gifted me the new chain,” he said.

“B-But that was a long time ago!” she said in shock. “Why didn’t you say anything? I… Oh wow, I had no idea!”

He fell silent, sighing. Minji’s lips twitched in amusement when she realized what the problem was. “You don’t like speaking about your feelings, huh? Looks like you really are shy,” she teased, cupping his red cheeks with her hands.

“Minji! I’m not shy,” he hissed sulkily. “Demons don’t talk about this cheesy romance stuff. Can you blame me?”

“But now you did talk about it.”

“Yes, because I figured you needed to know,” he said, a hint of cockiness visible in his expression. “And I was right, you were happy when I told you!”

“It’s amazing to hear that you return my feelings,” she replied sheepishly. His shimmering blue eyes took in her soft smile.

“My feelings should have been obvious from the moment I asked you for a new bond,” he murmured, leaning in and kissing her temple. She shuddered in delight, snuggled up against him happily.

“You’re right, that was rather obvious,” she said, and then she remembered something. The sweet smell of cake still lingered in the air—they had forgotten about it completely after everything that had happened. “How about we try the cake we made together, Hyunnie?” she asked.

“First of all, stop calling me that,” he replied, his pouty lips prompting her to giggle. He looked unusually adorable with his hair sticking up wildly after cuddling with her.

“But I really like this nickname. It suits you so well,” she smiled.

“I don’t think so.”

“Aww, please let me use it,” she whined.

She playfully tugged at one of his braids and leaned in to kiss him on his lips. That he wasn’t opposed to, of course. He let himself fall back on the bed and pulled her on top of him. She put her knees left and right of his torso, bowing down and locking their lips. Gently cupping his sharp jawline, she elicited a low growl from him. His hands traveled over her body, tracing its shape.

“Hyunnie?” she murmured against his lips.

He groaned and rolled his eyes, ending the kiss. “Great way to ruin the mood,” he grumbled. “Stop it with the dumb name.”

“You’re fun to tease, though,” she grinned.

Against her expectation, he began to smirk devilishly, a slight red hue visible in his eyes. Entranced she stared at him, not realizing what he was up to. “You’re even more fun to tease,” he said huskily, and abruptly flipped them over, hovering above her. She looked up at him with wide eyes, not having expected this. Again, she noticed this beautiful red hue in his iris that was as mysterious as it was entrancing.

His hand sneakily slipped below her shirt, wandering over her naked skin. The sensation was amazing and extremely distracting. She inhaled sharply, meeting his heated gaze. The pads of his fingers caressed her stomach, moved higher to her ribcage. He reached the bandage that the doctors had used to cover the wounds on her back, and when he felt the material, he stopped. Eyes clouding with worry, his brows knitted. Minji frowned since she hadn’t expected him to stop just like that, and she was about to complain, but he spoke before she got a chance to.

“How could I forget about this,” he muttered more to himself than to her. “I think we should check up on your back. I want to know whether it’s healing properly.”

She sighed but nodded, and he moved aside so she could sit up. “Alright, fine,” she grumbled.

He chuckled upon seeing her grumpy expression, and while he went to fetch the medical kit they kept in the bathroom, she removed her shirt and put it on her lap. By the time he returned, she was playing with a strand of her black hair, twirling it around her finger. He lingered in the doorway, watching her in stunned silence. She looked pretty, delectable, wearing a lacy white bra that accentuated the shape of her chest. Her ribs and part of her stomach were covered in bandages, but those did not negate the fact that she was irresistible. As the color of his eyes changed to a hungry red, he forced himself to look away so she wouldn’t notice the desire burning within them.

Quickly, he sat behind her on the bed, gaining her attention when the mattress shifted under his weight. “Oh, you’re back,” she mumbled, throwing him a look over her shoulder. He didn’t meet her eyes which surprised her a little.

“Mhm,” he replied absentmindedly, using scissors to cut open the bandage. His fingers slid underneath it, loosening it until it fell on the bed. He was silent for a while as he looked at her back, eyes scanning over the dark bruises marring her pale skin. They were as painful as they looked, he knew that for a fact. The scrapes and small cuts thankfully were healing well, but still visible. He wished humans healed faster than this since he wanted her to be fine and not in pain. He had to make sure she didn’t strain herself in any way, at least until they were gone.

“You still have many bruises,” he said in a low tone, his words nearly inaudible to her ears.

“They don’t bother me, don’t worry,” she said.

His silence spoke louder than words, told her that he was concerned regardless of what she said. She heard him rummaging through the medical kit for a while until he found what he had been looking for. Not much later, his fingers gently dabbed ointment over her back, cool and soothing. She sighed contently, closing her eyes. He opened a new bandage and proceeded to wrap her stomach and back with it. She didn’t say a word throughout it, relaxing and becoming sleepy.

When he was done, he lingered behind her, his gaze drawn to her bare shoulders. He wanted to touch her so badly, the urge growing stronger until he couldn’t hold himself back anymore. His arms wrapped around her stomach from behind, pulling her closer to him. She made a noise of surprise, but immediately leaned back, snug against his body. His body heat was comfortable as he held her in a gentle embrace. As his hands caressed her stomach, he elicited a pleased sigh from her. In her opinion, they could remain in this position all day long—she rarely felt this comfortable, this safe.

“Thank you,” she breathed, “For everything.”

“No need to thank me, love,” he whispered.

He dipped his head, burying it at the column of her neck, breathing in her sweet scent. One of his hands slipped her bra strap off her shoulder, and not a second later, he began to plant kiss after kiss on her neck, slowly moving towards her shoulder.

Minji closed her eyes in bliss, instinctively leaning back and resting her head on his shoulder to give him better access. The irresistible touch of his lips had heat pool in her stomach, igniting a burning desire within her. The beats of her heart became faster as her longing grew. He placed countless hungry kisses on her delicate neck, leaving purple marks as he sucked and nibbled on her skin.

It was only after a while, when he stopped and lingered in one spot, that she found her voice. It sounded breathy, a little raspy. “B-Baëkhyun, why did you stop?” she asked.

His answer was a throaty chuckle. Arms hugging her stomach tighter, she was flush with his firm chest and abs, feeling them against her back. She realized that she wanted him to do more than just kiss her, opening her eyes to glance at him. He gave her neck another teasing kiss and raised his head to meet her heated gaze. Of course he knew what she wanted—he could sense it.

“As much as I hate saying it,” he sighed. “We shouldn’t go any further than this.”

“Why?” she whined, pouting.

“Because you are still injured, sugar.”

“So unfair,” she grumbled, placing her hand on his that rested on her stomach. “Don’t you want me?”

He was silent for a few seconds. She felt the rise and fall of his chest as he inhaled and exhaled. “Of course I want you,” he said huskily, voice so low it sounded like a growl. “It’s not easy to hold back with you looking so delectable. We have a lot to catch up on when you’re healed.”

Her cheeks flushed. _How could someone be this irresistible?_ Sometimes, she still couldn’t believe her luck, couldn’t fathom that their relationship was real. After she had broken up with her ex, she had been sure she would never fall in love again.

“Then it’s a promise,” she answered, and he chuckled lowly.

“Look forward to it, sugar,” he muttered, breathing a kiss on her shoulder.

“You’re the biggest tease I have ever encountered,” she mumbled, still a little frustrated but also somewhat charmed by his caring attitude towards her and her injuries. He was something else, she couldn’t help but notice again and again.

“Well, I’m always the _best_ at everything I do,” he replied, arrogantly arching his eyebrow. “Or did you expect anything less of me?”

She cracked up, grinning at him. “No, no. It’s a known fact that Baëkhyun sets an impossibly high standard.”

“And there you have it,” he added smugly. “I’m better than everyone.”

Seeing an opportunity to tease him back, she said, “What about me though? Are you also better than me?” Minji put her best, most convincing pout on her face. His eyes widened, flitting to her lips for just a moment.

“I would say…” he began.

“Yes?”

“You’re… on the same level as me,” he mumbled.

Her face revealed her astonishment at that, showing pure surprise. “Oh… I didn’t expect that,” she said, slowly beginning to smile.

He pulled her in with his arms around her back, holding her possessively. His lips found her wrist, and he kissed the gleaming star on her skin. “I already told you how I feel about you,” he murmured. “My love.”


End file.
